TOP English team Sale are being targeted by every side they play, and Newport Gwent Dragons will be no exception in Sunday's Heineken Cup-tie at Edgeley Park, says England winger Mark Cueto.
The Sale and England try scoring machine, also a British Lion in New Zealand last summer, admitted in an interview with the Argus that they almost came a cropper against unsung Bristol at home last Sunday.
"They came up here full of confidence with an attitude that they had nothing to lose. We are top of the table and everyone wants to knock us off," said Cueto (though Sale were half-a-dozen players short of fielding their best team).
"Sometimes we're our own worst enemies. It's important we keep focused and not get carried away, we've got to stay switched on and turn out for every game. If we're not 100% switched on the result can be flipped.
"The Dragons have got a couple of key guys missing (Kevin Morgan and Gareth Wyatt) and we're expecting a tough battle up front.
"They've also got the ability to throw the ball around and Michael Owen can cause trouble with 30+ yard passes like he did against Munster and for Shane Williams to score a try in the England-Wales game last season. So we can't rest on our laurels."
Though Sale have got one foot in the door of the Heineken Cup l continued from back quarter-finals, Cueto says they're taking nothing for granted against the Dragons.
"The score down there flattered us (Sale won 38-11 at Rodney Parade on October 28) and they're tough opposition," he said.
"Things are going well for us, we're having a good run in Europe and in the league and we need one more win to qualify for the knock-out stages in the Heineken.
"That would be a massive achievement after struggling in the competition on both occasions we've been in it before and never getting out of the group stages.
"It's one win away, so it's fingers crossed.
"But there's still a lot to do, we're not expecting a walk-over against the Dragons and they're going to be tough opposition."
Cueto still accepts that Sale have got a lot to offer even if he describes his own current form as mixed.
"Our forwards have been outstanding, there's been a big improvement and we've been dominating teams," he said.
"We create a good platform and we like to move the ball as well, we've got a good balance.
"My own form has been mixed, a lot of games have been a bit scrappy, but I've definitely been getting better.
"I need to keep involved. With the blitz defence being operated you don't just stay on the wing or you won't see much of the ball, you've got to go looking for it."
The Dragons could well spend a fair bit of Sunday afternoon looking for Cueto.
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