FRANCE SCRUM-HALF Antoine Dupont scored twice as Toulouse ran in seven tries in a 45-19 bonus-point win over Sale in the second matchday of the Champions Cup.
After beating Munster in their Pool B opener in Limerick last week, the French giants turned up the volume for an Ernest-Wallon stadium which was sold out in spite of the alternative attraction of France in the football World Cup final.
After half their Pool B games, Toulouse are joint top on nine points.
“We have to be careful, we are only at two matches out of four,” said Dupont. “Of course we have started our competition well, but there are still two important matches to try to be at our best and have a good draw for the knock-out rounds.”
After conceding an early try from Sale prop Bevan Rodd, Toulouse hit back with tries from Thibaud Flament, Cyril Baille and Dupont.
Sale’s South African hooker Akker van der Merwe dotted down to keep the English Premiership side in touch as they trailed 19-12 at the break.
Toulouse forced a penalty try early in the second half as Byron McGuigan tackled Thomas Ramos without the ball in the in-goal area.
Dupont added his second in a speedy counterattack before a superb sequence of passing ended with centre Lucas Tauzin flying in at the corner.
Romain Ntamack added the seventh after which Ramos was sent off for a head butt on McGuigan during the build-up to what would have been an eighth from Matthis Lebel.
Down to 14 for the final few minutes, Toulouse coughed up a third try when Sale lock Jonny Hill went over.
Dupont said the way Toulouse had scored was pleasing.
“We haven’t always had this much offensive output,” he said.
“We have scored a lot of tries this season, but they were not always very well constructed. We have had trouble finding each other. That’s what is positive today. We were able to be pragmatic and score from turnovers but also hold the ball and be pretty good on our offensive game system.”
Alex Sanderson, the Sale coach, was looking forward to the rematch on January 14.
“We have some work to do, but I think we can do it. I’m looking forward to playing them again on a cold, rainy afternoon in Manchester,” said Sanderson.
