The Japan Times - Dupont guides Toulouse to Champions Cup last 16 after Sale hammering

Dupont crossed either side of half-time for the six-time winners as Ugo Mola's side strolled over for 11 tries, having needed a victory to avoid missing out on the knock-out stages for the first time since 2016.

Tom Curtis' second-half converted try was Sale's only score after the already-qualified English side had made a host of changes for the game.

Toulouse's win eliminated the Sharks, despite the South Africans 50-12 win over Clermont earlier in the day.

In-form Glasgow host three-time champions Saracens on Sunday in the final game in the group with the Scottish side eyeing a top seed in the last 16.

Mola's Toulouse were hampered by injuries, with Scotland's Blair Kinghorn partnering captain Dupont at half-back in the absence of France fly-half Romain Ntamack.

Alex Sanderson made nine changes to Sale's side from last Saturday's win over the Sharks, which sealed the English club's first last-16 spot in the tournament since 2022.

The home side raced into a 28-0 lead at the interval with Dupont's score after a Matthis Lebel break the highlight of the first half as they secured a bonus point.

The visitors ended the half with 13 players as winger Alex Wills and No 8 Sam Dugdale were yellow-carded moments before the break.

Toulouse sealed the win with seven tries in the final 40 minutes as France flanker Francois Cros made his first appearance since September due to an injury.

Cros' return is a timely boost for Les Bleus head coach Fabien Galthie before he names his Six Nations squad on Wednesday.

- Stellar Sacha -

Earlier, South Africa fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored seven points as the Stormers beat Leicester 39-26 to seal their place in the last 16 from Pool 3.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23, slotted two conversions and a penalty as his side crossed five times in total in rainy conditions in Cape Town as they bounced back from last Sunday's 61-10 thumping at Harlequins.

The Stormers named playmaker Feinberg-Mngomezulu as captain with regular skipper Salmaan Moerat ruled out due to a family engagement, while backs Warrick Gelant and Damian Willemse were both missing due to the head injury protocol.

Defeat left the Tigers' last 16 chances hanging by a thread, with La Rochelle needing only a single point from their home match with Quins to snatch the last knock-out spot from Pool 3.

Four-time winners Leinster produced a solid comeback to beat Bayonne 22-13, having already made sure of their knock-out berth from the group.

In Pool 2, Castres stunned Munster 31-29 in Limerick to reach the next round and knock-out the two-time winners.

Later in the same group, Toulon head to Gloucester with both sides still in with a shout of reaching the last 16.

English champions Bath hammered Edinburgh 63-10 on Friday and the Scottish club are waiting for the result at Kingsholm to see if they advance.

On Friday, the Bulls edged Pau 26-24 in Pool 4 to keep their hopes of progress alive with the Scarlets, who head to Northampton on Sunday, the only side who can deny them a spot in the knock-outs.

Champions Bordeaux-Begles travel to Bristol earlier on Sunday, with both teams already in the next round.

T.Ikeda--JT