Sale Sharks celebrations turn sour
Thursday, 26 May 2005 11:34European Challenge Cup winners' medals awarded to Sale Sharks rugby players were stolen during a victory celebration, the club said today.
The medals were inside a kit bag which was stolen from a car at the club's Edgeley Park stadium in Stockport, Greater Manchester.
The thief struck as Sharks staff and players celebrated their 27-3 victory over French side Pau on Saturday.
Sale beat Pau to lift the European Challenge Cup at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on Saturday.
They returned to Edgeley Park, which is also the home of Stockport County Football Club, to parade the trophy in front of jubilant fans.
Players and staff then went on to a civic reception, leaving cars at the stadium overnight.
When they returned the next day, a number of cars had been broken into and a kit bag containing the medals was missing, along with players' personal belongings.
Sale Sharks director of rugby Philippe St Andre said: "It is very sad that this happened at our stadium."
