Saint-Andre was head-hunted by Kennedy, who sees the former France skipper as one of the missing pieces of the jigsaw in his bid to turn Sale into a major force in European rugby union.

“Phillipe Saint-Andre is a winner and this club wants to win things,” said Kennedy.

“He is widely acknowledged as one of the best recruiters and talent spotters in the world and will bring a new dimension to our ability to build a side capable of winning trophies at the highest level.

“We have never made any secret of our ambition to be able to compete at the top level in Europe.

"Philippe’s in-depth knowledge and experience of the European game will add that extra dimension to our plan and recruit for success against the European giants of Toulouse, Biarritz and Perpignan.”