Jones has sights set on Toulouse

Sale Sharks boss Kingsley Jones is ready for “a massive game” against French giants Toulouse tomorrow when his team pursue a European consolation prize.

Victory for Sale at Edgeley Park will not be enough to reach this season’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

But they could find a route into the second-tier Amlin Challenge Cup as runners-up from Pool Five.

Toulouse, three-time European champions, wrapped up the group last weekend with a bonus point victory over Harlequins, capitalising on Sale’s 36-19 loss to Cardiff Blues.

Three teams though, those ranked third, fourth and fifth best runners-up from the Heineken pool stages, will join five group winners in the first Challenge Cup knockout round.

And Sale are determined to be among them by defeating a Toulouse side chasing victory for a probable Heineken home draw in the quarter-finals later this season.

“This is a massive game,” said Jones.

“It is an opportunity to put things straight from last week.

“The guys want to play for their countries in the next few weeks (in the RBS 6 Nations) and it is their last chance to put their hand up in front of the international coaches.”

Cardiff could also reach the Challenge Cup, but as they have an inferior try-count to Sale, a bonus point success is the likely requirement from their away clash against Quins tomorrow.

“If we are not good enough for the main competition, we can still hopefully make it through to the second-tier competition,” said Blues chief David Young.

“We are not counting our chickens as we know Harlequins away will be a tough game. They haven’t had a great Heineken Cup and they are a much better team than their performances have shown.

“No-one likes to lose a game at home, so I imagine they will want to build a bit of momentum going into a very busy and important time of the year for them.”

Gloucester, meanwhile, need a five-point maximum against Rodney Parade hosts Newport Gwent Dragons to have any realistic Challenge Cup qualification hopes from Pool Two.

Biarritz emulated Toulouse by winning their group a week inside the distance, leaving Gloucester to scramble for anything else that might be on offer.

The west country club will be without injured Scotland flanker Alasdair Strokosch, so Luke Narraway starts in the back-row alongside Akapusi Qera and skipper Gareth Delve.

“We have to get a win and then push for a bonus point,” said Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath.

“Momentum is huge for any team, and we’ve put a couple of performances together recently.

“But we won’t disrespect the Dragons – they came up to Gloucester and performed very well earlier this season. It’s a Wales versus England situation, and they would love to have a dabble at us.

“An English scalp will be incentive enough for them – they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Tomorrow’s Challenge Cup action sees Leeds Carnegie and Bourgoin go head-to-head for top spot in Pool One.

The clubs are locked on 19 points, although home advantage could help edge things Leeds’ way and take them into the quarter-finals along with Guinness Premiership colleagues Wasps and Newcastle.