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Bath blitz ends Euro cup hopes

Jenny Dixon
2/ 5/2008

SHARKS’ dreams of lifting the European Challenge Cup for a third time were shattered by Bath’s five-try blitz on Saturday.

Despite that set-back the Edgeley Park outfit’s bid for a place in the Heineken Cup next season is far from over.

Qualification for Europe’s top rugby tournament now hangs on Sharks’ Premiership campaign, the penultimate game of which takes place against Harlequins on Sunday.

It is a crucial tie for fifth-placed Sharks, who are just one point shy of Quins in the league table.

"Our destiny is in our own hands," said Sale’s head coach Kingsley Jones. "We need to win this game for it to stay that way."

Sharks suffered a heavy 36-14 defeat at Bath in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup, but any concerns about the poor performance were over-shadowed by injury worries.

Influential flyhalf Charlie Hodgson was floored twice, making crucial tackles, during Saturday’s match: after recovering from a jarred shoulder he was benched minutes later with a bloody nose.

However, Hodgson has been training this week and deemed fit for the Quins clash; Sharks coaches are keen to ensure it stays that way.

"We’ll wrap him in cotton wool this week," added 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. The match ended with flanker Michael Hills playing on the wing such was the lack of cover for that position.

Wingers Mark Cueto, Rory Lamont and Steve Hanley and centre Rudi Keil are all 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 this weekend after injury lay-offs.

Prop Andrew Sheridan, who banged his head during the Bath game, is also fit to face Quins.

Jones is not worried that the shortage of backs will mean a repeat of the 49-0 defeat at the Stoop last season.

He explained: "We went with a very young inexperienced side last season, I don’t think there is any comparison this time round.

"The match on Sunday will be won or lost up front.

"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]."