WHEN the new Aviva Premiership kicks off on Saturday, Sale Sharks may have a secret weapon in their camp may be able to help give insider knowledge on Saracens.

Scrum-half Peter Stringer played for Mark McCall's side in 2012 and also the 37-year-old Irish international lost out to Sarries in the Aviva Premiership final last season.

He said: "I know the lads very well and they are a very good side and have been very competitive in the past couple of years.

"It is first game up and down at Saracens it is going to tough. But I suppose it is one thing that we have had a lot of our players around during the World Cup campaign and hopefully that will stand us in good stead.

"When you look at all the games in the Premiership since I have moved over from Ireland, there are no easy games and but particularly down there it would be nice to try to rectify my last result against them."

Stringer was a substitute for the Sharks in their 33-17 defeat to Leicester but they still managed to clinch the Kings of the North trophy.

But the scrum-half took to twitter to express his disappointment that the international curtain came down on his former team-mate Paul O'Connell's career.

Speaking to the Messenger before the tournament, Stringer was full of admiration for O'Connell.

He said: "Paul is a good friend of mine he epitomises rugby from his club, province and country.

"It is an end of era when he leaves Ireland and moves to France to play for Toulon.

"He is guy who gives everything."