Thursday night rugby - who would have thunk it? Bad grammar aside, playing any match on a Thursday has come as an unwelcome departure from the natural order of things for most Sale fans. When we are then told it was at the behest of Sky who are interested in televising our games for among other reasons the possible first sighting of one Luke McAllister most of us decided to grin and bear it. Then we find out, in a round about way of course, that despite what the clubs marketing machine would have you believe that Mr McAllister is not only not going to appear but isn’t even in the country, the loyal Sale fan finds themselves disgruntled again. Still, it wouldn’t be the sporting franchise, and I use that phrase advisedly, we know and love without yet another PR cock up before an important game.

Important game? Well, yes, I for one happen to think that European competition is important. Personally I would rather see Sale win the second tier tournament than the EDF cash generator and (with apologies to the poor souls that endured Cardiff away) I think that this is the ‘clubs’ preference too. Whilst the EDF comes with a Heineken Cup slot the 2 away/1 home format of the pool section makes it a very difficult competition to progress in and the Euro Shield (or whatever it’s calling itself this year) with its classic home and away format followed by straight knock out gives a fairer shot at regaining our place in the Heineken.

On a personal level it is a competition that I retain an awful lot of affection for. I remember only too well my first European away trip to watch us get beaten by Montferrand and Montpellier in 1997. The weather was great, Robby Dickson was tired and emotional in Montferrand and on great form with the complimentary tickets in the Montpellier sunshine. The rugby was largely forgettable but the experience - even the scabby undercooked andouillette sausage in Clermont - wasn’t. The two trips to Connacht featuring a Garda issued speeding ticket “It’s an on the spot fine - but you can’t pay me. Just stop at the next Garda station and pay it there, if your conscience troubles you”. The two trips to Oxford including Sale's first ever piece of silverware, the semi at Northampton (Sharky mooning and being ejected from the stadium) , the heroic rearguard action at Perpignan where Phil Winstanley played front, second and finally back row - whilst carrying an injury. You can’t buy memories like these - we have history with this tournament and it is worth being in and winning.

Strange things are afoot in French rugby two weeks into their season. Thursday night games are taking place this week, our other Gallic opponents Bayonne are suffering altitude sickness at the top of the Top 14 and a Sale old boy, Valentin Courrent has just received the Oscar from French weekly rugby bible Midi-Olympique for player of the week. What does this mean ? Not a lot probably but it strangely interests a Francophile like me.

What of our opposition? I am ashamed that I don’t know a great deal about Montpellier. They are a relatively new outfit, having been created in 1986 by a merger of two local sides. Courtesy of the World Cup and the enlightened beneficence of the local council they are the tenants of a lovely new stadium that they moved into this season. Their stated aim for the season is staying in the Top 14, which while it seems unambitious is pragmatic for a side who have been perennial strugglers in the top flight and missed out on the drop last term by a single position. Nine wins, all at home were all they had to show for the 2006/7 season and competing with the behemoths of French rugby is beyond them at present. That being said, the nine home wins included the scalps of Biarritz and Stade Francais and there was a very creditable 9-9 draw against Toulouse. The club’s stated aim is a place in the Heineken Cup by 2010/11 and the building of a ‘big club in Languedoc’. Modest perhaps, but given the finances available at some of the bigger clubs this is realism.

In typical French fashion the Montpellier season has seen a home win 19-12 against a decent Perpignan side and an away defeat against last seasons runners-up and Shield champions Clermont Auvergne by a not disastrous 33-20. After only two rounds and with most teams still reintegrating their summer signings and world cup absentees it is impossible to read anything into this.

Montpellier’s selection in the two games so far has thrown me a curve ball in that arguably their two most famous players have yet to feature. Argentine Federico Todeschini, whose kicking makes Chris Patterson look erratic and Romanian, sorry that should read Italian, wrecking ball centre Allessandro Stoica have been conspicuous by their absence so far. The results of the Montpellier saffer take-away, which I think must have been buy-one-get-one free have seen four players from the republic including winger Fricky Welsh and prop Danie Thiart from the Bulls and Warren Britz from the Sharks join compatriot Rickus Lubbe. Also new for this season is goal-kicking Irish fullback Mark McHugh from our old sparring partners Connacht who has started this season as first choice fullback and kicker with some success.

The jewels in Montpelliers’s crown though are three young Frenchman. Firstly is back rower Fulgence Ouedraogo - capped this summer at the age of 20 on the tour to New Zealand. Say what you like about the strength of that touring party but France are hardly short of quality back rowers and to get an international cap at that callow age in the toughest arena of all is highly impressive. Ouedraogo has started both games so far at blind-side and is strongly tipped to feature in the French break away trio at RWC 2011. Scrum-half Julien Tomas who, with Ouedraogo is a reigning U21 World Champion, joins fellow academy product and 22 year old Francois Trinh-duc at half-back. Both are reportedly highly rated with Trinh-duc being described by Midi-Ol as an ‘immense talent’. This half-back pairing is largely credited with keeping Montpellier up this season and Trinh-ducs’ three tries in two games to accompany his drop goal point towards a gleaming future.

Hopefully we will be granted a glimpse at a small part of the future of French rugby on Thursday night. If Sale pick their strongest side and play to their ability, given Montpelliers appalling away form, the Sharks should win comfortably. However it would be foolish to underestimate the combination of young tyros, gnarled Afrikaaners and seasoned pros that make up the Herault side.

Vive le rugby, bienvenue a Cheshire et allez Sale.

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