Nine-try Toulon savage hapless Sharks

Bernard Laporte watched his Toulon side humiliate Sale Sharks 62-0 — but admitted he was equally blown away by Clermont Auvergne’s showing in Dublin.

The big-spending French giants already have one foot in the quarter-finals, with a five-point buffer over Montpellier at the top of their group. Laporte is already keeping a close eye on the other pools and he was hugely impressed by Clermont’s victory over reigning champions Leinster.

He added: “We obviously keep an eye on the other teams, because we will eventually have to meet them. I was amazed by what Clermont did in Leinster, they were immense.”

Toulon were imperious in their performance — a record Heineken Cup defeat for Sale — despite resting many regulars, with Jean-Charles Orioli, Frederic Michalak, Rudi Wulf, David Smith, Joe van Niekerk, Davit Kubriashvili and the Armitage brothers, Steffon and Delon, all touching down.

Laporte added: “I enjoyed the game a lot and we should give credit when credit is due. I must congratulate the players, for their individual performances and team effort.

“There was a lot of spirit and enthusiasm and we showed the will to move the ball around, and not give it away.

“It was difficult for the first 30 minutes and they gave us problems at the breakdown. But as half-time was getting close they were tiring.

“All the hard work we put in in the first half paid off in the second. There was a lot more space and we were able to score more tries.

“Our aim is to secure a home quarter-final. We’ve had two good wins in Cardiff and Sale and we needed to validate that, which meant getting a bonus-point win.”

Sale have now lost 12 of their 15 games this season and sit third in Pool Six, with a trip to the Cardiff Arms Park still to come.

Director of rugby John Mitchell said: “The team is disappointed, as well as individuals with their own performances. I’ve been looking at this group of players ahead of the Christmas period and I certainly know a lot more about some after that performance.”

Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors coach Gregor Townsend admitted his side must learn how to turn narrow defeats into victories if they are to succeed in the Heineken Cup, following a 10-8 loss at Castres.

Ruaridh Jackson narrowly missed the chance to win the game when his late penalty bounced back off the posts to leave the Warriors winless from four games in Pool Four.

That record fails to tell the complete tale of their campaign so far, however, following tight matches already against Northampton and now Castres both home and away.

The Warriors had led 8-3 at half-time but Townsend was left lamenting his side’s inability to hold on to the advantages they have gained in Europe this term.