Alex Sanderson packs his Sale Sharks side with his seven England stars

Today. Kick-off 5.30pm, AJ Bell Stadium

Alex Sanderson is set on Sale making the last 16 of the Champions Cup even though it will likely mean a trip to holders Toulouse or Leinster.

The Sharks need to beat Toulon at home today to have a chance of going through in a group where two sides have qualified and the other four started the round with a chance of progressing.

Toulon are already through with a home draw guaranteed as are Glasgow leaving Sale fighting for the remaining two places along with Harlequins, Stormers and Racing 92.

Toulon have made nine changes from the side that defeated Harlequins last weekend with Baptiste Serin and Kyle Sinckler among those replaced.

“It makes sense for them, not least because they can call up Test players,” said Sanderson, Sale’s director of rugby.

“They will still provide a big obstacle for us but we are ambitious to go through and make up for the disappointment of the result at the Stormers in the last round.

“Toulon were very impressive against Harlequins and contained them well, which is saying something. They are deadly on transition and have scored the most tries from turnovers and attacking kicks.”

Bouncing back from last week

Sale lost 40-0 in Cape Town despite having the better of the game in the first half and dominating the scrum to the extent that the South Africa tight-head prop Frans Malherbe was shown a yellow card after struggling to contain Bevan Rodd.

“I was disappointed with the blow-out and the spiralling nature of the second half,” said Sanderson. “But what was most disappointing was the opportunities we missed, including one a few metres from their line that they turned into a try in a 14-point swing.

“It showed that at this level you have to take your opportunities. Instead of being right in the game we found ourselves 21-0 down and chasing.

“We have had honest conversations and said that two bonus point wins in our next two games will take us into the last 16 and the top four of the Premiership going into the break for the Six Nations.

“I love the Champions Cup because it is a really good barometer of where you are at. It is a brilliant experience for the lads whatever their age and if we make the last 16 and find ourselves at Toulouse or Leinster we will go there with the right mentality.”

Team News

While Toulon have rotated, Sanderson has picked his strongest available side with his seven players named in the England squad last week starting along with the three du Preez brothers and scrum-half Raffi Quirke.

Five Sale forwards are in the England squad, including today’s front row, with Sanderson expecting Rodd to push for a starting spot after his demolition of Malherbe.

“Bevan has had a cap here and there without getting a run,” said Sanderson. “He silenced his critics last week and the work WillGriff John did on the tighthead allowed him to go to work.

“The defeat brought us back down to earth after thinking a few weeks ago that our game model was in order. It was a humbling experience and will mean a doubling down of what we are going after.”

Rekeiti Maasi-White takes the place of Luke James in the centre and there is still no place in the 23 for Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu, Sale’s big summer signing.

He has only made three starts for the Sharks, the last back in October, and just two appearances off the bench since then.

A report last week said that Sale had told him he can leave. “We were struggling for form in the back line and Luke came in and played really well,” said Sanderson.

“You want cohesion which we did not have at the start of the season. Regardless of Waisea’s quality, and he is quality, we wanted to make sure the lads were familiar playing with each other.

“The team was not in form at the start of the season and neither was he but there is still loads of time left in the season.”

READ MORE: Steve Borthwick – It’s time to put our foot down

Teams

SALE: Carpenter; Roebuck, R du Preez, Ma’asi-White, O’Flaherty; Ford, Quirke; Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, JL du Preez, Hill, T Curry, B Curry (c), D du Preez Replacements: Caine, McIntyre, John, Bamber, van Rhyn, Thomas, Bedlow, Reed

TOULON: R Rebbadj; Wainiqolo, Frisch, Sinzelle, Villiere; Biggar, White; Gros, Lucchesi, Setiano, Halagahu (c), S Rebbadj, Ludlam, Coulon, Tolofua Replacements: Ivaldi, Priso, Mchedlidze, Ribbans, Youyoutte, Abadie, Serin, Garbisi

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)

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