Warren Gatland cited fitness issues and the weakness of the Guinness Premiership for leaving the 28-year-old out of the Wales squad for the autumn internationals.

However Roberts impressed as Sale beat Harlequins 21-17 to keep their Pool Four hopes alive – joining Sisa Koyamailbole in crossing the whitewash while Charlie Hodgson kicked 11 points.

Former New Zealand fly-half Nick Evans responded with 12 points including a try of his own but that and Aston Croall’s score wasn’t enough for Quins.

Meanwhile also in the Heineken Cup Gloucester beat off the Kingsholm boo-boys to move off the bottom of Pool Two with a 19-6 defeat of Glasgow.

Despite trailing 6-0 at the break thanks to a Dan Parks penalty and drop goal the Cherry and Whites fought back to level the scores courtesy of two Nicky Robinson kicks.

And a try apiece from wing Charlie Sharples and Alex Brown either side of another Robinson penalty to give coach Bryan Redpath a much-needed win.

Elsewhere in the Amlin Challenge Cup, Leeds made light work of Bucuresti touching down seven times in a 47-0 romp at Headingley Carnegie.

Hendre Fourie, Seru Rabeni, Mike MacDonald, Lee Blackett, Marco Wentzel, Henry Paul and Richard Welding all scored while Ceiron Thomas and Jason Strange slotted two and four conversions respectively.