SHARKS winger Mark Cueto became the latest player to join the queue for the treatment room as an already depleted Sale side just lost out to Stade Francais at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Sunday.

Cueto was forced off during the disappointing defeat with a groin injury and was due to have a scan to find out the extent of his injury.

Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe may also be a casualty after going over on his ankle which has since swollen considerably. His progress will be monitored closely this week.

A brave second-half performance from Sale saw them within touching distance of the top club in the French league with just minutes remaining before a late interception try sealed victory and a bonus point for the home side.

Sale returned home empty handed and know that nothing short of a five point win against the same side on Sunday at Edgeley Park will do if they want to progress to the next round.

But with fewer and fewer players to choose from, Sale director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre is running out of options.

For the game on Sunday, he was without a full team of players through injury and international call-ups, and Cueto joined that list during the game after fellow winger Oriol Ripol was ruled out due to illness.

Staggering

The sick list at Sale is staggering.

The club have been losing players at an alarming rate throughout the season and the autumn internationals dealt them a further blows.

Charlie Hodgson has been ruled out until June after having surgery to repair knee ligament damage sustained against South Africa, the same injury which claimed the services of Scotland skipper Jason White in the game against Romania.

Andrew Sheridan broke his ankle against South Africa and Samoan centre picked up a serious shoulder injury playing for the Pacific Islanders against Ireland in Dublin.

Second row Chris Day joined the queue last week with strained knee ligaments but should be back soon.

The injury list also includes Chris Bell, David Tait, Sean Cox, John Carter and Jon Bryant.

Nathan Bonner-Evans continues to play despite having a broken thumb and the Sharks were also without prop Ben Evans, who is suspended, and Michael Hills and Andy Vilk, who were on duty with England Sevens.

The injury situation has left Saint-Andre understandably frustrated.

His depleted side put up a good fight against Stade and would surely have come away with more had more players been available.

Saint-Andre said: "The situation at the moment is very bad.

"We are losing a player a game, and the autumn internationals hit us hard. But what can we do about it?

"At the moment we are relying heavily on a lot of young players and they are performing well.

"We have to make do with what we have available to us and keep working hard."

There are less than 600 tickets remaining for Sunday's crucial Heineken Cup game between the two sides.

Saint-Andre added: "It will be very difficult for us to qualify from the group but when we play Stade next week we need to win and get a try bonus point out of the game.

"I know the supporters will come out in force to support the players and we will do everything we can to win the game."

Sale's injury list in full:

Name: Charlie Hodgson
Position: Fly-half
Injury: Ruptured knee ligament
Date: England v South Africa - November 18
Due back: June

Jason White
Back row/lock
Ruptured knee ligament
Scotland v Romania - Saturday November 4
May

Andrew Sheridan
Prop
Broken ankle
England v South Africa - November 18
May

John Carter é back row
Shoulder reconstruction
Summer
February

Elvis Seveali'i
Centre
Shoulder damage
Pacific Islanders v Ireland - November 26
February

Chris Day
Lock
Knee ligament strain
Sale v Llanelli - December 2
One to two weeks

Chris Bell - Centre
Broken hand
Bristol v Sale - November 10
December

David Tait
Back row
Broken leg
Sale v Saracens - September 22
December/January

Sean Cox
Lock
Knee ligament
Sale v Harlequins - November 24
One or two weeks

Nathan Bonner Evans
Back row
Broken thumb
Sale v Harlequins - November 24
Continues to play

Jon Bryant
Centre
Hamstring
Sale v Newcastle Falcons - September 29
December

Mark Cueto
Winger
Groin
Stade v Sale - December 10
Awaiting scan

Oriol Ripol
Winger
Sickness
Stade v Sale - December 10
Next week