Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond is confident his team can improve on their first wholly dominant performance of the season after setting up a home European Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Sale Sharks will make their first trip across the channel this season to face French side Castres Olympique at the Stade Pierre-Antoine on Saturday.

Sale Sharks have bolstered their line-up with first-team players to maintain their 100% home record this season as they welcome Pau in the European Challenge Cup.

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond is determined to bed in younger members of his squad despite a chastening defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons in their opening European Challenge Cup match.

Sale Sharks head to south Wales for their opening match of the European Challenge Cup this weekend to play Newport Gwent Dragons, a side they haven’t faced since 2006.

Sale suffered their second loss of the Aviva Premiership season at The Stoop on Friday night, leaving question marks over the Manchester side’s ability to win away from home.

Sale Sharks could not have asked for a much tougher task after drawing one of the competition’s form teams in the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series final but captain James Mitchell is confident his side are up for the fight.