Shark Cueto eyes place in history

Sale wing Mark Cueto is convinced the in-form Sharks can make history by winning at Thomond Park on Saturday. Munster are unbeaten in 22 games at the ground.

Sale wing Mark Cueto is convinced the in-form Sharks can make history by winning at Thomond Park on Saturday.

Sale heve already qualified for the quarter-finals after five straight wins in Pool 1, but victory over Munster would guarantee a home quarter-final.

The Munstermen are unbeaten in 22 Heineken Cup games at their Limerick fortress and have plenty to play for themselves in the Sky Live showdown - victory would also guarantee them a place in the last eight.

Sharks have never been to the quarter-finals but the Guinness Premiership table-toppers are now amongst the favourites to reach the final at the Millennium Stadium. Cueto and his teammates are enjoying the experience.

"These are uncharted waters for us - normally at this stage of the tournament we have just been playing to save face - but this is what the Heineken Cup is all about," he said.

"Everyone keeps telling us that Munster have never lost at home but records are there to be broken and, while we have qualified for the quarter-finals, it would be a dream come true to go through the group stages unbeaten."

Sharks beat Munster 27-13 at Edgely Park in Round One in October, but Cueto knows that Munster will be a tougher proposition on their own turf.

"I am relatively familiar with a number of the Munster players as a result of the Lions tour to New Zealand last summer, particularly Paul O'Connell, and Munster clearly missed him when we beat them," he added.

"But right now he is certainly proving that he is not only an outstanding forward but is also scoring tries like a threequarter. He is definitely one for us to watch out for.

"We saw Munster's match at Castres Olympique on TV last Friday night and they have obviously hit form at the right time."