The English Toulon? Sale Sharks player depth encapsulated in remarkable Tweet

With one week to go until the Gallagher Premiership rugby season starts, Sale Sharks are the team that are showing the most promise from last year.

With a huge amount of investment since last season, largely from South Africa, Steve Diamond’s side legitimately could be the one to break Saracens’ and the Exeter Chiefs’ dominance of domestic rugby in England.

It was always clear that Sale were going to be strong this coming season, and they are apparently aware of that as they shared on Twitter an image of two different teams that they could put out.

While the depth they have in the squad in the back three and the second row is impressive, the back row is unrivalled by any other team in the league.

A combination of Jono Ross, Ben Curry and England’s Mark Wilson is enough to make Sale a threat next season in the Premiership and the Champions Cup, but what is more impressive is that they could well be the second choice loose forward trio.

With brothers Jean-Luc and Dan du Preez, as well as Curry’s brother, Tom, in the squad as well, there will be huge competition for places.

This depth across the field will prove to be particularly beneficial over the next few weeks, as the likes of Lood de Jager and Faf de Klerk, as well as Wilson and Tom Curry will still be at the Rugby World Cup with South Africa and England respectively.

Sale open their campaign next weekend, as they host last season’s semi-finalists Gloucester at the AJ Bell, and look to prove that they are one of the contenders this season with some top names still to return over the coming weeks.

Reigning champions Saracens and Exeter have dominated English rugby over the past five years, but Sale could once again become the force they were over a decade ago.

World Rugby Head coach Gregor Townsend and player John Barclay give a post-match press conference after beating Russia 61-0.