Domestic bliss

Sale winger Mark Cueto is targeting the perfect end to his career - a second Premiership title.

The 32-year-old is the longest-serving player in the Sale ranks, having made his debut against Bristol in 2001 and gone on to represent England and the British & Irish Lions.

However with two further seasons to run on his current contract, Cueto appreciates that time is running out on his illustrious career.

The free-scoring winger is determined to go out with a bang and he believes that the Sharks can be serious challengers for top honours during the remainder of his deal.

"I have had some massive highs at the club, such as winning the title in 2005-06, while there have been some massive lows over the last couple of seasons, but with the club heading in the right direction I am hoping that my last two years will be successful," Cueto, who scored a try in the Guinness Premiership final win against Leicester, told Sky Sports.

"I am happy to have been a one-club man. This is my club and it is in my heart so it would be amazing if we could win the title again before I retire."
Mark Cueto Quotes of the week

"I know that I am coming to the end of my career and that my current contract could well be my last.

Realistic

"When you are young, you can't see the end coming - and although no player wants it to finish, now I can see the end I want to make my last few years as successful as possible.

"I know that there are so few opportunities to win silverware and the Premiership in particular. It is so difficult to win it and so few players have gone on to lift the Premiership title, so to do it again would be a huge achievement.

"I am happy to have been a one-club man. This is my club and it is in my heart so it would be amazing if we could win the title again before I retire."

Having finished 11th in 2010 and then 10th the following year, the Sharks have come on leaps and bounds under the guidance of Steve Diamond.

Sale are now all but guaranteed a Heineken Cup place next season - with Bath and Gloucester only left with slim mathematical chances of leapfrogging them - and Cueto believes that securing a top-six finish is a tremendous feat for the Sharks.

"Some people might think it strange to be celebrating finishing in sixth but it is a massive thing for us after what we have been through," said Cueto, who scored 20 tries in 55 Tests for England.

"It is a big step forward. We obviously would have liked to have reached the play-offs but at the end of the day, we've got to be realistic. You can't turn from a bottom two or three side to a top-four side in the space of a season - the Premiership is far too competitive for that.

"As players we are all ambitious and want to win every game. We don't want to say there is a five-year plan as we want to win things now, however we know we have to be realistic.

"We've strengthened with Richie Gray, Danny Cipriani and Eifion Lewis-Roberts coming in, while the rest of the squad have had a good 12 months together, so there are reasons to be confident."
Mark Cueto Quotes of the week

"We've strengthened with Richie Gray, Danny Cipriani and Eifion Lewis-Roberts coming in next season, while the rest of the squad have had a good 12 months together, so there are reasons to be confident.

Ambitions

"Those signings are a massive statement of what the club is trying to do - and what it has done so far, with them opting to join before we qualified for the Heineken Cup. They have all bought into the visions and ambitions of the club."

While the Premiership title might be the ultimate goal for Cueto, who only started playing rugby union seriously at 17, the former England and Lions international has another target left that is more achievable.

Cueto has scored 73 times in 165 appearances in the Premiership to move to just two tries behind former Sale team-mate Steve Hanley in the record books.

Mark Cueto is hoping to win a second Premiership title

And while Cueto concedes he might have to now wait until next season - with just table-topping Harlequins left to play - he is confident he can move ahead of Hanley.

"I thought it would have happened this season," Cueto said.

"When I came back from the World Cup, I managed to get in a couple of tries early on but I've had a bit of a dry patch since and the club had its struggles at the start of the year.

"I am unlikely to get it now this season - especially with one game to go against the Premiership's top team. But I am sure that over the remainder of my contract and with the move to Salford - where the pitch is a couple of metres wider - that it is only a matter of time."

Mark Cueto was speaking on behalf of QBE, Official Business Insurance Partner of Premiership Rugby. For more information, please visit www.qberugby.com