Heineken Cup action returns to Salford City Stadium on Saturday afternoon when French League leaders Toulon are the visitors in the Round 3 match. Under former French national coach Bernard Laporte, les Toulonnais stand five points clear of nearest rivals Toulouse in the table.
Kick off is at 3.40pm, and, in view of the heavy traffic expected to be on the motorway system heading towards the Trafford Centre and our match, Sale Sharks advise that you start early. Have a look at the travel plan for the match.
How did Toulon do at the weekend?
They were at home to sixth-place Grenoble on Saturday evening and won 39-3. The half time score was 18-3.
Newly-promoted Grenoble, who started with ex-Shark Joaquin Tuculet at full back, are a formidable force in their stadium at the base of the Alps, but understandably are not as strong away. At the Stade Felix Mayol on Saturday, they were twelve points down in twenty minutes.
Kiwi winger David Smith scored the first of Toulon's five tries on six minutes, Jonny Wilkinson converting, and former Sharks and current Argentine skipper Juan Martin Fernandez-Lobbe ran in try two after 20 minutes.
Pelissie scored a penalty for Grenoble after 31 minutes, but the prolific Wilkinson replied with two more after 33 and 36 minutes to make it 18-3 at half time.
Toulon scored three tries during the second forty minutes, through hooker Jean-Charles Orioli (42 mins.), full back Delon Armitage (68 mins.) and Smith's second with nine minutes to go. Jonny Wilkinson converted all three.
Who played for Toulon?
The team was: Delon Armitage; David Smith, Mathieu Bastareaud, Maxime Mermoz, Benjamin Lapeyre; Jonny Wilkinson, Sebastien Tillous-Borde; Andrew Sheridan, Jean-Charles Orioli, Carl Hayman, Bakkies Botha, Jacelino Suta, Johann Van Niekerk, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Chris Masoe.
Replacements: Mikael Ivaldi for Orioli (59), Xavier Chiocci for Sheridan (58), Simon Shaw for Botha (64), Steffon Armitage for Van Niekerk (56), Luke Rooney for Lapeyre (73), Frederic Michalak for Tillous-Borde (62), Davit Kubriashvili for Hayman (64). Not used: Matt Giteau.
French Top 14
| P | W | D | L | Pts | |
| Toulon | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 47 |
| Toulouse | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 42 |
| Clermont | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 40 |
| Castres | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 37 |
| Montpellier | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 36 |
| Grenoble | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 30 |
| Biarritz | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 28 |
| Perpignan | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 26 |
| Racing Metro | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 25 |
| Stade Francais | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 24 |
| Bayonne | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 21 |
| Bordeaux-Begles | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 17 |
| Agen | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 16 |
| Mont-de-Marsan | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 6 |
Got your tickets?
To book your tickets to Sharks v Toulon on Saturday 8th December, call 08444 994 994 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). Alternatively, visit the Sale Sharks ticketing website.
