Scotland captain Jason White and France hooker Sebastian Bruno have become the latest players to agree new deals with Guinness Premiership leaders Sale.
Bruno has signed a two-year contract with the Sharks and White committed himself to the club until 2009, less than a week after Magnus Lund and Sebastian Chabal agreed new deals.
Director of rugby Philippe St Andre is developing a squad capable of not only challenging for the Premiership title but also major European honours.
The Sharks are favourites to be installed as top seeds for the European Cup quarter-finals and St Andre sees both White and Bruno as crucial to the club’s hunt for success.
"These are massive signings for our club," he said.
"Jason White is 27 years old, captain of his country and our pack leader. The next three years will see him at his absolute peak as an athlete, and we will see an even better player than we have since he joined the club in 2003.
"Our first-choice back row of White, Chabal and Lund have all committed themselves to Sale Sharks long-term and we can now look forward to them growing individually as well as collectively, which will be a frightening prospect for opposing teams.
"Sebastian Bruno, since he joined me here at Sale Sharks two years ago, has just got better and better.
"He is now first choice for his country and a vital member of the team here at Sale. He was very keen to stay with the club as he feels this is the place where he will develop his game the most, and that by staying at Sale he has the chance to challenge for the club game’s major honours."
White is convinced Sale are developing into one of the leading forces in European rugby and explained: "I am very ambitious for myself and for my club and am convinced we have the ability to win things here."
Bruno credits St Andre and Sale’s head coach Kingsley Jones with transforming him into a Test hooker and he now has his eye on playing for Les Bleus in the next World Cup on home soil.
"I have improved my game enormously since arriving at Sale and now have the chance to be France’s hooker in the 2007 World Cup. I have the benefit of playing with top-quality players around me in the pack," he said.
"I believe that the team Philippe has built here will be a top force in the club game over the next few years, and I am thrilled that I will be a part of it."
