SHARKS’ international players gave the team a parting boost before setting off to represent their countries in the Six Nations this weekend.

England’s Mathew Tait, Welshman Dwayne Peel, Scotland’s Jason White and Gallic giants Sebastien Chabal and Lionel Faure helped Sharks to secure a valuable bonus point win against Worcester Warriors on Saturday.

The 37-20 victory took Sharks into third place in the Premiership table, and they are now just two points shy of leaders Gloucester with a game in hand.

It was a double celebration for Peel, who learned of his Wales call-up just two hours before the match at Sixways kicked-off.

Peel, who has 64 caps, initially missed out on a spot in the Wales squad but a knee injury sustained by rival number nine Gareth Cooper ended his exile.

He said: “I wasn’t expecting the news and obviously I’m delighted. I’ve just got to go down there now and do the best I can do.

“I was disappointed [to be left out] but I’ve got to put that behind me. My rugby seems to throw up challenges and this is definitely one of them.”

Peel had been named on the bench for Wales’ Six Nations opener against Scotland on Sunday. Sharks’ back-row White will start in the tie at Murrayfield.

Chabal and Faure have been selected to start for France against Ireland on Saturday, while Tait is on the bench for England.

Winger Mark Cueto and prop Andrew Sheridan, who were training with England last week and therefore unavailable for Sharks’ match against Worcester, will start against Italy.

It will be winger Cueto’s first international appearance since the World Cup final against South Africa in 2007.

THE BONUS point win at Sixways was the perfect start to Kingsley Jones’ career as Sale’s director of rugby. Head coach Jones took charge of the team last week after Philippe Saint-Andre announced that he will join French club Toulon at the end of the season.

Jones, who as a player captained Worcester, said: “It was my first game since getting the title and it was very important for me to get off to a good start.”

Jones’ second game in charge will be at another of his former clubs, Gloucester, on Saturday, February 14.

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