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Saint-Andre insists on safety first

28/ 2/2007

SURVIVAL in the Guinness Premiership has become a top priority for Sharks' director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre.

Hopes of retaining the league title have evaporated over recent weeks and now safety is the primary concern for the Stockport-based side, who were keen to clinch every prize available to them in domestic and European rugby at the start of the season.

"I think now we must not think about top four or top five, we must just try to be safe in the Guinness Premiership," explained Saint-Andre, after Sharks 14-9 defeat against London Irish.

He blames the slide on Sharks' terrible run of injuries that has seen young players forced to step into leading roles.

"At flyhalf we have just young kids of 20-21-years-old and they are just learning their job," the former French captain added.

"At nine and 10 at the moment we have quality players but they are very, very young.

"Ben Foden, Richard Wigglesworth, Lee Thomas, David Blair and Rhys Jones are very young and they are our leaders.

"They do a lot of good things but sometimes they make mistakes."

Mark Cueto took on the role of captain for the match against London Irish, as England's Jason Robinson and his previous stand-in skippers, internationals Jason White and Sebastien Chabal, are currently unavailable due to injury.