Harlequins boss Dean Richards insisted the club had no second thoughts about releasing star Andrew Mehrtens after an excellent farewell performance this afternoon.

The former All Blacks fly-half scored 24 points at the Twickenham Stoop as Quins wrapped up their Guinness Premiership season with a 49-0 win over Sale.

Injuries have restricted Mehrtens to just nine matches this season and director of rugby Richards feels it is time to move on.

He said: ``It was his 34th birthday today. He isn't getting any younger and we haven't had him as often as we would have liked this season.

``You saw today what he offers when he plays but we have made our decision.''

Former South Africa skipper Andre Vos also played his final match before retiring from rugby and Richards described the win as ``a fitting farewell to the guys who are leaving''.

Vos, who described his five years with Quins as ``fantastic'', said: ``There is a great future here at Harlequins.''

Richards has no plans to buy big-name replacements and added: ``I like to do my planning 18 months ahead and I'm very excited about six or seven of the young players who are coming through from the Academy.''

Full-back Mike Brown, a 21-year-old academy graduate, scored two tries in the rout of Sale and Richards said: ``I would like to think he will be on England's summer trip to South Africa.''

Sale - who rested internationals Magnus Lund, Stuart Turner, Sebastien Bruno and Sebastian Chabal in order to try out a number of youngsters - suffered after lineout expert Chris Jones went off injured in the first half.

Director of rugby Philippe St Andre described the crushing defeat as ``not a nice feeling''.

He added: ``Two years ago on the last day of the season we put them [Harlequins] down to Division One.

``We could lose up to 15 players during the World Cup next season and the young players need to realise what they have to do to be competitive in this tough league.''