SALE Sharks signed off their Guinness Premiership season with a four-try, bonus point victory, but had to settle for fifth place, one position below the semi-finalists.

They’d hoped Gloucester and London Irish would lose and open up a route to Twickenham, but the Exiles’ convincing win at Worcester scotched that dream.

Skipper Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe opened the scoring after 21 minutes, but the Saints were ahead 10-5 at half time, courtesy of a Best try converted by Myler, who had earlier slotted over a penalty.

Saints were a man down when Ashton received a yellow card four minutes before the break. Forward power won the day in the second half, Eifion Roberts and Dean Schofield both powering their way over the line before an hour had been played. Myler reduced the arrears with another penalty, but England centre Mathew Tait produced the moment of the match after 72 minutes, sweeping past former Sharks’ favourite Ben Foden for the important fourth try.

Charlie Hodgson contributed two conversions. Saints had the final say when Lamont scored a fine individual try with two minutes to go. So, like last year, the Sharks qualified for the major European competition but failed to make any domestic progress.

The squad incurred some crucial injuries when their brightest stars were unavailable during the international programme.

Despite their fighting finish, the club were unable to recover from home defeats to Worcester and Newcastle, and some away reverses – Bath and Leicester spring to mind – which teams with championship potential simply have to win. It’s clear from the first five players recruited by Kingsley Jones that Sale Sharks don’t intend to be left short-handed during the ‘International Window’ next term.

New signings Jack Forster (prop, Gloucester), Ben Cohen (wing, Brive), Gavin Kerr (prop, Edinburgh), Mahonri Schwalger (hooker, Llanelli) and Marika Vakacegu (full back/wing, Cornish Pirates) should comprise a more stable line-up. Jones hinted that there are maybe two more names to follow, one possibly from the Southern Hemisphere.

Last Saturday was the time to bid farewell after five years to former Director of Rugby Philippe St.Andre, bound for Toulon. Philippe possessed the charisma to attract top names from France, and in his first two seasons Sale Sharks captured the European Challenge Cup and the Guinness Premiership. Injuries decimated season 2006-7, when the club finished tenth, and the past two seasons have seen the team end in fifth spot. His critics spoke of unattractive winning rugby, slow ball from the scrum and not enough tries. He can point to a record of 96 wins and 3 draws during his tenure of 164 games, and a rise in the club’s profile.