Browse Sections

• Stockport County FC
• Sale Sharks
• Local football
• Local cricket

Destiny is in Sharks' hands

30/ 4/2008

CHARLIE Hodgson will take to the turf for Sharks in their crunch game against Harlequins this Sunday.

Sale fans and coaches got a scare during Saturday’s European Challenge Cup defeat at Bath, when Hodgson was floored twice making crucial tackles.

After recovering from a jarred shoulder, the flyhalf was benched minutes later with a bloody nose.

Despite this Hodgson has been training and is fit to play at the weekend; Sharks bosses are keen to ensure it stays that way.

"We’ll wrap him in cotton wool this week," said head coach Kingsley Jones.

Sharks are struggling for available backs for their trip to the Stoop. The latest casualty is winger Oriol Ripol who broke his arm in Saturday’s semi-final.

Mark Cueto, Rory Lamont, Rudi Keil and Steve Hanley are also out due to injury.

There is better news for Sharks’ pack, with Jason White, Sebastien Chabal and Magnus Lund all on track for a return to action after injury lay-offs. Prop Andrew Sheridan, who banged his head during the Bath game, is also fit to face Quins.

"The match on Sunday will be won or lost up front," added Jones. "Quins are a very good team, they are well coached.

"They rested players after they were knocked out of the Heineken Cup, and throughout the EDF Energy Cup, and they are emerging as a really strong team [in the Premiership]."

With Sharks fifth in the table, just one point behind Harlequins, a win in their penultimate game would be a defining moment in Sale’s bid for a spot in Europe.

Jones explained: "Our destiny is in our own hands, we need to win this game for it to stay that way."

Director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre agreed: "We lost the [Challenge Cup] semi-final. Now, the game on Sunday will be like a quarter-final in the Guinness Premiership.

"We need to be very focused and play our best game. We need to be much better than we were against Bath."