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Farewell Sharks

14/ 5/2008

JENNY Dixon looks to the future with three of the players leaving Edgeley Park ...

Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe

ARGENTINIAN international Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe is off to play for Northampton Saints next season.

But the 33-year-old lock, who made his debut for Sharks in 2005, admitted it was a wrench leaving the Stockport-based club.

"I was really sad to make the decision to leave the club," Lobbe explained. "I was at Sale for four excellent years, and achieved a lot of silverware in that time.

"I have made some good friends, a lot of the players came up to me after the last match and told me they are going to miss me."

Lobbe didn’t get to take part in the final match of the season, against London Irish on Saturday, because of the restrictive Kolpak agreement which limits the number of overseas players a team can play with.

It is a rule that passionate rugby player Lobbe has found difficult to deal with.

He explained: "I was really annoyed. I wanted to play the last game at Edgeley Park but I couldn’t because of a stupid rule.

"It is upsetting - I’ve been fit all season but I can’t play because of a rule."

On the pitch Lobbe, who has captained Sale numerous times, is a passionate leader of men; it is a role he assumes off it too, raising morale at the team’s Carrington training base with his trademark humour.

"When I’m joking what I’m trying to do is to take anyone who is down and pull them up. It is very important for team spirit and bonding."

This positive attitude means Lobbe is a popular member of the squad and will be missed. But there is one person who is likely to feel his departure from the Sharks ranks even more keenly - younger brother Juan Martin.

Juan moved to Sale a year after his elder brother, who helped him settle in the area and in the team.

"When you go abroad it is much more difficult on your own so I helped him a lot," explained Ignacio, better known as Nacho by his team-mates and fans.

"Now it’s time for Juan to make his own way. It’s going to be good for him."

Lobbe was at Edgeley Park on Saturday to watch Sharks bid for a Premiership play-off place.

Their failure to do so, losing 17-7 against the Exiles, was not the end he was expecting: "We put in a lot of effort during the year, and we won at Harlequins - we just had to win at home in front of our own fans. It is really sad."

WHAT’S NEXT? Lobbe will play for newly-promoted Northampton Saints next season, but before pre-season training starts he is heading back to his homeland.

As well as spending time with his family in Buenos Aires, Lobbe is hoping to secure a place in the Argentina squad and plans to hang up his international boots after the international side’s second test against Scotland.

Ben Evans

PROP Ben Evans is planning to pursue his rugby career in France.

Evans is now close to agreeing a deal that will take him across the Channel.

Former Wales international Evans explained: "I’ve tasted Welsh rugby, international rugby and the Guinness Premiership, French rugby will be something different again.

"I had an offer from an Italian team but it is the prospect of playing in the French Championship that got me in the belly."

The deal that brought Evans from Wales to Edgeley Park ran out at the end of this season and not renewed.

"By my own estimations I’ve not had a great season," explained Evans.

"I popped a disc in my back, and Eifion [Roberts] was playing well.

"I wasn’t in a position to talk contracts while I was injured, then I came back played a couple of games and I clearly wasn’t in the coaches’ plans.

"That injury is just something freaky, that can’t be accounted for. You just have to take it on the chin."

He added: "On the whole I’ve really enjoyed it at Sale. Some guys when they leave a club are bitter and twisted, but I have the utmost respect for the boys and wish them all success.

"I’ve made great friends and the team spirit here is second to none."

As well as Channel hopping, in order to sort out a potential contract, Evans is planning to spend his summer break visiting his family, in Wales, as well as a holiday to Zurich, where his girlfriend’s parents live.

Elvis Seveali'i

ELVIS Seveali’i is looking forward to a fresh start after he was released from his Sharks contract a year early.

After his surprise exit, the reasons for which have not been made public, Seveali’i is focusing on the future and is currently considering offers from other rugby clubs.

He said: "It is all about a fresh start for me, a clean sheet. I want something to get enthusiastic about again, a new challenge, it could even be a new country.

"There are offers on the table but everything is up in the air right now.

"We are preparing to sell the house and then make a decision in the next few days."

Although it is all a frenzy of activity in the Seveali’i household at present, the centre is looking forward to spending time with his wife.

They married the day before Elvis departed for the World Cup with Samoa, meaning a honeymoon is on the list of ‘things to do’ this summer.

"I’ll be kicking back [this summer] and spending some quality time with my wife," added Seveali’i.

Despite being incredibly busy planning his future the 25-year-old centre managed to get to Edgeley Park in time to catch the end of Sharks’ match against London Irish on Saturday, not expecting to see the home team trailing.

"I was surprised," Seveali’i explained. "Sale had the team on paper to go further than they did this year. It happens in rugby; no discredit to London Irish, they had a good team but the amount of internationals and the calibre of players Sale have I expected them to win."

Whatever Elvis does next there are aspects of his Sharks career that will remain with him forever.

"I’m going to miss the banter, I’ve made some really good friends here. We won the Premiership here with Sale. Days like that you never forget."

Others leaving: Ben Foden - Northampton Saints, Chris Mayor - Northampton Saints, Magnus Lund - Biarritz, Sililo Martens - Llanelli Scarlets, Chris Day - Stade Francais, Benoit Bourrust - Biarritz, Julien Laharrague - Montauban, Rhys Jones - Cornish Pirates.