Saint-Andre's side face European champions Munster at Thomond Park on Friday night in Round 5 of this season's Heineken Cup © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Heineken Cup | Heineken Cup

Teams: England | Ireland | Munster | Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks boss Philippe Saint-Andre is determined to bow out at Edgeley Park following a successful Heineken Cup campaign.

Saint-Andre, who announced last month that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, takes his side to Thomond Park to face Munster in Round 5 on Friday night knowing it is a must win game for the 2002 and 2005 European Challenge Cup winners.

"At the end of last season we wanted to qualify one way or another for the Heineken Cup -because this is the greatest competition in Europe - and we are happy to be part of it this season," he said. "But now we would like to go further and qualify for the quarter-finals and then we will be fully satisfied with our progress.

"And to achieve that goal it's fairly simple - we have to win our next two games - and the first of those will be the most difficult as we go to Limerick to face Munster, the European champions. We wanted to be in the Heineken Cup to play the biggest games you can possibly imagine in top level rugby and we couldn't dream of a better clash than facing teams like Munster. It doesn't get much better than this.

"And this game will be decisive. As far as we are concerned it'll be "win or die" because there won't be a runner-up qualifying from our Pool so it is vital that we produce a quality performance. It'll be difficult but we will approach the game with a lot of determination and we'll be up for the challenge and meeting the expectations of such an event.

Sale go into the clash following a morale-boosting victory over Premiership leaders London Irish last weekend and Saint-Andre is hoping that fills his side with confidence.

"We will go into the game with eagerness and we will do our maximum to win. Sometimes in rugby it comes down to the tiny details which make you either a winner or loser, so we can only play with all our heart - and that's exactly what we will do. Currently we are in a good position in both our domestic championship and in the Heineken Cup and we've been playing with a certain confidence.

"But we know that it will be tough going to Munster because we experienced a severe defeat a couple of seasons ago when they scored four tries, which was a real hammering.

"And, looking back on my time at Sale Sharks, I can say that I have spent five exceptional years with the club we have won the Guinness Premiership and the European Challenge Cup - and we nearly got through to the 2006 Heineken Cup semi-finals - so overall it's all good memories.

"Let's hope we can now add the icing on the cake by reaching the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup, although we know it'll be hard because these games are at the highest level.

"Ideally I would love to leave the club on a high, with a good season and good results, and I hope it's not over yet and that the best is still to come. As a coach you always want to do better and keep achieving great things with a club. As to this weekend, hopefully we should have Sébastien Bruno and Lee Thomas back to full fitness for our big Round 5 challenge against Munster."

Heineken Cup 2008-09 - Round 5 (Local KO time, referee, TV coverage)

Friday, January 16, 2009
Pool 1 Munster v Sale Sharks (KO 20.00, Nigel Owens, Sky Sports/Canal+ Sport/Sky Italia/RTE*)
Pool 1 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Montauban (KO 21.00, Carlo Damasco, Canal+ Sport)
Pool 2 Edinburgh v Castres Olympique (KO 19.30, James Jones)

Saturday, Janaury 17, 2009
Pool 2 London Wasps v Leinster (KO 17.35, Christophe Berdos, Sky Sports/Canal+ Sport/Sky Italia/RTE*)
Pool 3 Perpignan v Ospreys (KO 16.35, Alain Rolland, (France 2/Sky Sports/Sky Italia)
Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso (KO 15.00, Pascal Gauzer)
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Harlequins (KO 13.35, Romain Poite, Sky Sports)
Pool 5 Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors (KO 14.35, Wayne Barnes, Canal+/Sky Sports**)
Pool 6 Rugby Calvisano v Biarritz Olympique (KO 14.35, Andrew Small, Sky Italia)

Sunday, Janaury 18, 2009
Pool 4 Scarlets v Stade Français Paris (KO 15.00, Dave Pearson, S4C*/Sky Sports**/France 2)
Pool 5 Newport Gwent Dragons v Bath Rugby (KO 13.00, George Clancy, Sky Sports)
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Cardiff Blues (KO 15.00, Alan Lewis, Sky Sports/Sky Italia)

*Delayed highlights ** Red button