Sale Sharks host Gloucester Rugby on Sunday in the first of five crunch matches in their push for the top six in the Aviva Premiership.
The Sharks will hope that a three-week break from fixtures due to the Six Nations and LV=Cup will provide the perfect tonic to their indifferent form in time for the run in.
The side will be bolstered by the return of fly-half Danny Cipriani who described his recall to the England squad as the “best eight weeks my life” with all to play for in the squad ahead of the World Cup.
“To be part of an incredible team, wear the red rose and represent my country. Couldn’t be more proud,” Cipriani added on his Instagram account.
“Thank you for all the support, the messages and crowd reception has been humbling. Have learnt so much from the coaches and players in the last 8 weeks.
“Loved every minute. Feeling blessed.”
On Sale’s season run in Cipriani added: “We are about to take part in five cup finals and we will be targeting all of them.
“It’s going to be tough but we need to roll our sleeves up and get stuck in.”
Director of rugby Steve Diamond believes his side are still on course to make their pre-season of objective of qualifying for the European Rugby Champions Cup, despite lying in seventh place.
He said: “Normally 60 points would get you into the top four but because of London Welsh and that everyone is racking points up against them that 60 points has now become 70.”
The south-west Manchester club are five points off Wasps in sixth but know they can make up the ground as four of their five remaining games are against sides below them.
Veteran winger Mark Cueto is poised to make a landmark 300th Premiership appearance, he is still the league’s all-time try scorer with 88 in a career that spans fourteen years.
Magnus Lund will also make his 100th Premiership appearance for Sale in his second spell at the club.
In the reverse fixture in round two at Kingsholm the Sharks led at half time but had to settle for taking two bonus points as they succumbed to a 34-27 defeat.
Main image courtesy of England Rugby via YouTube, with thanks.
