Asked whether he felt the EDF Energy Cup has a future, after his Sale reserves had been robbed by a late try from a full-strength Cardiff Blues side, Philippe Saint- André's body language was as confused as this stop-gap Anglo-Welsh competition.

First, the Sale Sharks director of rugby gave a Gallic shrug and said: "I don't know - I am the coach, and if I have to play a competition, then I play it." Then he stuck out his lower lip, pondered for a second and let rip: "For the safety of players, I will never pick guys who have played only three days earlier. Against London Irish the game was so physical, and you break your players and go against their safety if you do it. You can do this in football, or ping-pong, or tennis, but you don't do this in rugby because of the physicality. It is my responsibility, and I won't do it."

Saint-André felt sore on a couple of counts. Firstly, the Blues, playing only their second match in eight days, had been allowed to escape with a fortuitous win by an inexperienced side, many of them fresh out of the Sale academy. Sale led 17-13 deep into the final quarter, thanks to a spectacular Rudi Keil try and the accurate goal-kicking of Nick Macleod.

Secondly, his senior squad had been reduced to 28 after losing three players - the hooker Sébastien Bruno (biceps), lock Sean Cox (kneecap) and yesterday the wing Oriol Ripol, with a broken arm - over a nine-day period in which the Sharks played three matches.

The Frenchman was also keen to assume the role of Heineken Cup underdogs - his team have to travel to Clermont Auvergne on Saturday and are then home to the holders, Munster, a week later. This was a daunting enough task, Saint André said, without a growing injury list. "Clermont have been the best team in France for the past two and half years, with Toulouse, and the atmosphere will be amazing. I played for them for nine years, so the next two games against them and Munster will be huge - but we will have a go, although we are the outsiders in this group."

His opposite number, Dai Young, whose team play Calvisano first, criticised his players for a lacklustre display which saw them bailed out by the replacement wing Richard Mustoe's try nine minutes from time. "It is hugely frustrating... we know some of these players can pass, and that they do not fall off tackles, but that seemed to be the case today."

However, having struggled against Saint-André's reserves, for whom the Scotland captain Jason White and England scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth - playing here at fly-half - made impressive guest appearances, Young quipped: "We wish we had his problems."

Sale Macleod; Kuadey (Royle, 53), Keil, Tuilagi (Kennedy, 68), Ripol; Wigglesworth, Leck; Faure, M Jones, Halsall (Davies, 73),

C Jones (Shaw, 76), Cockbain, White (capt; Gaskell, 68), Fearns, Tait.

Try Keil Pens Macleod 4.

Sin-bin M Jones, 35.

Cardiff Blues Blair; Halfpenny (Mustoe, 50), J Robinson

(T Shanklin, 71), Roberts, G Thomas; C Sweeney (N Robinson, 65), Rees; J Yapp, R Thomas (G Williams, 76), Filise (G Powell, 54), Davies (Jones, 53), Tito (capt), A Powell (Sowden-Taylor, 65), Lewis, M Williams.

Tries Halfpenny, Mustoe Con Blair Pens Blair, Sweeney.

Referee T Hayes (WRU) Attendance 7,458.

Heineken Cup one to watch: Jason White (Sale)

The return of the heavyweight Scotland forward alongside the rumbustious 19-year-old No8 Carl Fearns, who caused Cardiff all manner of problems at the breakdown, was a big factor in the Sharks pushing a near full-strength Blues for the entire 80 minutes.