THE new year looks full of promise for Sharks after they ended 2008 back in the top four after a bonus point victory against London Wasps.

Captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe led the way for Sharks, scoring the first and last tries of the match, the latter of which earned his side a valuable bonus point.

Despite his prominence on the scoreboard and importance on the pitch, the Argentinian international refused to accept the plaudits for himself.

"My two tries were because of all the hard work of the team," Lobbe explained. "I just needed to put the ball down.

"I’m very proud, it is great to be involved with a team like this. I play beside really good players from one to 22, they all put their bodies on the line and that’s why we enjoy playing rugby together."

Mark Cueto, starting at fullback, had several reasons to be cheerful following the 31-3 triumph in front of a capacity Edgeley Park crowd.

Birthday boy Cueto, who was 29-years-old on Boxing Day, scored his third try in two games and provided compelling evidence to support a return to the England ranks.

Sharks’ director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre said: "For the last two or three months Cueto has been injury free and each week he gets better and better.

"Four weeks ago I said to him ‘Cuets you are back at your best’.

"He scored two tries last week and one today. He’s playing at his peak again and beating people one-on-one. He was fantastic today."

Wasps, who were missing several key players due to the one-match rest rule specified by the RFU agreement, conceded three tries between the 10th and 23rd minute, trudging in at half-time 18-points adrift.

The brilliance and skill displayed by Sharks during the 13-minute spell, when Lobbe, Cueto and Charlie Hodgson all made it across the whitewash, was, Saint-Andre suggested, his players’ reaction to the previous weekend’s one-point defeat in Bath.

He explained: "The staff and the players were so frustrated and disappointed after the robbery of last week. All that frustration we put into the first 20 minutes. I’m very pleased."

Sharks’ injury situation is now showing signs of easing. Winger Oriol Ripol recovered from a broken arm, sustained against Cardiff Blues, sufficiently to play for half of the Wasps match. Chris Jones also returned to action, coming on as a substitute, after his injury lay-off.

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