European Cup record

Sale reached the last eight of the competition for only the second time last season, with their previous quarter-final appearance coming in 2005/06, when they finished the pool stage level on points with eventual winners Munster Rugby, before falling to a 11-6 defeat at Biarritz Olympique in the first knockout game.

Last season

After progressing from the pool stage, Sale booked their place in the quarter-finals with a convincing six-try win over Scarlets, fly-half AJ MacGinty amassing 32 points in a 57-14 last-16 success at Parc y Scarlets. However, they then succumbed 45-21 at Stade Rochelais in the last eight.

Director of rugby

Alex Sanderson was appointed by Sale in January this year, having enjoyed a successful 12-year spell as a coach at Saracens. A former back-row forward, he spent the vast majority of his playing career at Sale and made five appearances for England between 2001 and 2003.

Key players

American fly-half AJ MacGinty has racked up 125 points across 13 European games for Sale, while England flanker Tom Curry was part of the British and Irish Lions squad this past summer. World Cup-winning South Africa scrum-half Faf de Klerk and lock Lood de Jager, plus England centre Manu Tuilagi are other big names among the Sale ranks.

Pool fixtures

Sale go up against United Rugby Championship outfit Ospreys and TOP 14 side ASM Clermont Auvergne in Pool A, playing both sides home and away.

We continue our overview of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup by focusing on Sale Sharks, who were knocked out of last season’s competition at the quarter-final stage.