Kingsley Jones insists Sale will not become complacent in their hunt for the play-offs this year.
Sale's rugby director determined to see his team push to the very end
Kingsley Jones insists his Sale Sharks side will not become complacent in their hunt for the play-offs this time round.
The Sharks recorded a 28-6 bonus-point victory against Harlequins on Friday night to keep their Guinness Premiership title hopes alive.
A first-half penalty try, followed by scores from Sebastien Chabal and replacements Rudi Keil and Richard Wigglesworth after the break set up the win, which means Jones' men must now beat Northampton at home to stand a chance of finishing in the top four.
Sale lost out on a play-off spot last season on the final day when London Irish triumphed at Edgeley Park to bundle the Stockport-based club out of the top four and their director of rugby is determined to avoid a repeat.
"If we win again next week, and results go our way, we could even finish third," he said. "Gloucester and London Irish have a tough week ahead, so as long as it's mathematically possible we will keep fighting.
"We've put ourselves in a great position but the job is only half done and we cannot afford to be complacent.
"There was complacency last year against London Irish but that's not going to happen this time.
"Now other teams are looking over their shoulders and not us."
Tests
Sale, for whom Charlie Hodgson landed four conversions, saw winger Oriol Ripol sin-binned for persistent infringement in the first-half and Harlequins prop Mike Ross was also shown a yellow card for a similar offence.
And Jones was pleased with the way his team worked under trying conditions: "I think referee Wayne Brown gets it right a lot but I was surprised to see so many penalties given.
"But I thought the way we stuck in there to the end was a real positive. We lost our shape a bit in the first half but I was really pleased with the second-half and the confidence we showed.
"We defended well, stuck in there and to get the try at the end was really pleasing."
Quins lost Ugo Monye and David Strettle to injury to join a casualty list which already includes fly-halves Nick Evans and Chris Malone.
Monye pulled a muscle in the warm-up and Strettle sustained an ankle injury and was replaced midway through the opening period.
Quins director of rugby Dean Richards said: "Strettle tweaked his ankle but we don't think it is anything serious and it's up to us to regroup now."
