By Matt Majendie

Lund has won plaudits for his Sale displays this season

Flanker Magnus Lund can go on to become one of the best England forwards of all time, according to Sale coach and France legend Philippe Saint-Andre.

Lund was part of England's 36-man training squad this week ahead of their RBS Six Nations opener against Wales.

And his club boss told BBC Sport: "He is already exceptional and he has also got such fantastic potential.

"In fact, he has the potential to be one of the best England back-rowers, or possibly forwards, of all time."

Lund has been an integral part of the Sale side who have swept to the top of the Premiership and into the Heineken Cup quarter-finals this season.

The 22-year-old's father is from Norway but the open-side has already played for England at Under-21, Sevens and A team level.

And Saint-Andre is all too aware of the strengths that have earned him a call-up to the senior national side by coach Andy Robinson.

I'm not sure of Andy Robinson's thinking but Magnus will certainly make the World Cup squad Philippe Saint-Andre

He said: "He's such a good jumper, very young, very skilful, gets everywhere and is already a well-established player in the northern hemisphere.

"I'm very surprised that he has grown up so much in the last 18 months. He plays like someone with 10 years of experience," he added.

"Nobody had even heard of him 18 months ago and now he's suddenly in the squad of 36. If he improves in the next 18 months as much as he has in the last he will get in an England jersey for sure - and for many years to come."

Saint-Andre, however, admits he is not brimming with confidence that the flanker will make England's final 22 to face Wales in the Six Nations opener on 4 February.

"I'm not sure of Andy Robinson's thinking," he said. "But he will certainly make the World Cup squad."

The Frenchman and the player himself have credited forwards coach Kingsley Jones for Lund's rapid progress from someone on the Sale fringes at the start of last season to England contention.

And he is hopeful that, with the player's "great rugby brain", even greater things may follow.

"He's amazing at picking up things straight away," said Saint-Andre. "There are a lot of players who you tell stuff 10 times over and it simply doesn't register.