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Tough task for Philippe

Jenny Dixon
2/ 4/2008

AFTER a season out of Europe’s top rugby tournament, Philippe Saint-Andre is determined to get Sharks back into the Heineken Cup next term.

However, a highly competitive climax to the season means qualification for the cup via the Guinness Premiership will be tougher than ever before. Sharks director of rugby Saint-Andre said: "I have been involved in the Guinness Premiership for five years with Gloucester and four years with Sale.

"I think it is the first time it has been so tight. We don’t know at the moment who will finish top and who will finish seventh or eighth. It’s very, very close.

"The difference between qualifying for the Heineken Cup and not qualifying will be one or two points each game. Every point will be important for the end of the season."

There is another route into the prestigious tournament open to Sharks, as the winner of the European Challenge Cup, a trophy Sharks have lifted twice before - in 2002 and 2005 - automatically qualifies.

Sale will take on French club Brive in the quarter-finals of the secondary competition at Edgeley Park on Friday night.

Though a home tie is preferable, at this knock-out stage, the teams could be hindered by the condition of the pitch, the state of which almost forced the cancellation of last Friday’s game against Bath.

Despite the bad weather and poor playing surface, Sharks won 22-6.

Another tactically astute performance will be needed on Friday to beat 1997 Heineken Cup winners Brive.

STUART Turner (one year) and Oriol Ripol (two years) have signed new contracts with Sharks. Turner joined in 2001 and was a member of both European Challenge Cup winning teams as well as the Guinness Premiership winning side of 2006. Ripol signed in 2005 and was also a member of the Guinness Premiership winning side of 2006.