Alex Sanderson on 'clearly the best team in the world right now'

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson was delighted after a thumping 33-7 win over Toulon saw his side qualify for the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup in style.

In their final pool game, Sanderson’s men needed a bonus-point win to reach the knock-out stages following their 40-0 hammering against Stormers in South Africa eight days earlier.

This dominant performance, which saw Sale score through Tom Roebuck’s brace, Ben Curry, Bevan Rodd and Tom O’Flaherty, ensured Sale will travel to defending champions Toulouse in the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition.

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After a famous victory for his side, Sanderson said: “This feels bigger than just getting through in Europe.

“We’ve pulled together as a group in the last week and we believed if we kept the physicality high, the floodgates would open.

“Going to Toulouse will be tasty, but we had a crack against them a couple of years ago and the score blew out.

“They’re clearly the best team in the world right now and are playing rugby from a different planet.

“But maybe, just maybe, we can drag them into something gritty. We’ll relish that challenge.”

Seven Sale players have been named in England’s Six Nations squad and all of them – Roebuck, George Ford, Rodd, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Tom Curry and Ben Curry – started against Toulon.

Encouragingly for Red Rose boss Steve Borthwick with the Six Nations on the horizon, all Sale’s England stars impressed with Roebuck touching down in both halves.

The England contingent are now preparing to fly to Girona in the next few days for a training camp ahead of the Six Nations, with a trip to Ireland first-up on February 1.

Sanderson reserved special praise for two-try Roebuck, adding: “There was a game before the autumn internationals when Tom was on the verge of selection and he didn’t do himself justice.

“Tonight, that shows his maturity, he learns lessons, and he got his mentality right.

“He looked like he’d got his head in the right place. He’s a big old boy. I was really happy for him.”

Toulon coach Pierre Mignoni paid tribute to Sale after they ran in five tries against his well-beaten side.

Mignoni said: “Congratulations to Sale – they won the game and qualified for the last 16 on merit.

“Today they won the physical and territorial battle and were very disciplined too.

“For me, I have no regrets because they played well and Toulon had no chance today.”

Asked whether Sale have any chance of winning away at Toulouse in the knockout stages, Mignoni reasoned: “Sale are a good team, but sometimes they’re a different side away from home.

“That’s my opinion and Toulouse away will be a different game to today but yes, they have a chance of winning. Anything is possible.”