KINGSLEY Jones has told Sale's players they have no excuses for recent poor performances.

Last week's 14-14 draw in Montpellier came as a major disappointment to the Edgeley Park side, scuppering their chances of becoming top seed for the knock-out stages of the European Challenge Cup.

It also blotted their perfect record in the group stages of the competition, after they had won all five of the previous games while picking up a try-scoring bonus point in each.

Now Sharks face a tough quarter-final tie against French side Brive and will have to take to the road for an away tie against either Bath or Leeds should they reach the semi-finals.

But, despite their European disappointment, attention has quickly turned back to domestic matters and head coach Jones knows his side will have to show a major improvement if they are to beat Harlequins at Edgeley Park tomorrow (Friday) night.

He said: "We were very disappointed (with the performance against Montpellier). It was a tough trip and a tough environment to play in but we got nothing out of it, we are where we are - in third spot.

"Make no bones about it, we wanted to be the top seed. Montpellier are a decent side but we must be going there and beating sides like that.

"It's very difficult when you've already beaten a side by 40 points, we've said that before, but all those excuses and reasons are not good enough.

"But that tournament is behind us now and it's important we close the book and learn from that.

"We have to focus on Harlequins because it's a massive game in terms of where we are. This is the first Guinness Premiership game since the London Irish defeat and that still hurts.

"Harlequins are going to be desperate. They've had a poor run of results and they rested 11 players in their Heineken Cup game against Stade Francais last week in preparation for this, so we know how hard it's going to be.

"They'll come here with everything to gain and nothing to lose because they won't be fancied as favourites."