According to Mallinder the setting up of what is rumoured to be a pounds 2

According to Mallinder, the setting up of what is rumoured to be a pounds 2.5m deal has persuaded the teacher to turn professional when he returns from England's summer tour of Argentina.Before then he and the rest of the Sale squad must suffer the backlash of Saturday's drubbing. John Mitchell, the player-coach, called the performance "totally gutless" He added: "I take defeat personally I hate losing, especially by that kind of margin. It's hard to swallow."To make matters worse for Sale the prognosis on a knee injury to their lock John Fowler is as bleak as midwinter. Mitchell said: "It's possible he could miss next season, or we may not see John Fowler again."Sale will begin some serious recruiting once they have their new backer's cash in the bank and there were hints that Mitchell will look to his native New Zealand for a replacement second row forward.Bath: Tries Sleightholme, Webster, Catt 2, Mendez 2, Lyle, Llanes, Adebayo, Guscott 2, Perry; Conversions Catt 8, Callard 4. Sale: Try Hewson; Conversion Griffin.Bath: J Callard (capt); J Sleightholme (M Horne, 40), M Perry, J Guscott, A Adebayo; M Catt, C Harrison; K Yates (D Hilton, 73), F Mendez, J Mallett, M Haag, G Llanes, N Thomas (E Peters, 61), D Lyle, R Webster (A Long, 77).Sale: A Griffin (J Aby, 54); M Moore, C Yates, D Wright, S Verbickas; N Ryan, J O'Reilly (M Warr, 59); A Yates, L Hewson, M Driver (J Batt, 73), R McCartney, S Fletcher, N Ashurst, M Karaittian (P Sanderson, 54), A Morris (capt; M Dobson, 73).Referee: C White (Cheltenham)..

As Richmond celebrated in the corporate hospitality suites that have sprung up around the Athletic Ground, Brian Moore took possession of the Seond Division championship trophy He was like a pit bull with a bone. It was an emotional moment for the battle-scarred hooker who had reluctantly taken the decision that the game against Nottingham would be his last "It's a great shame," Moore said. "I would have loved to have played in the First Division but I just can't do it." Next season Richmond will train during the day rather than the evenings, and Moore is fully occupied as a partner in a law firm. "Playing professional rugby and holding down a job are incompatible," Moore said.

"That's the way it should be, really."Moore, who is 35, has been putting it about in the front row for 18 years with Roundhay, Nottingham, Harlequins and Richmond, not to mention his career with England.Whereas Ben Clarke, the captain, signed a substantial contract to join Richmond from Bath, Moore's deal was a pounds 400 win bonus per match. With 19 victories he is owed a cheque for pounds 7,600.Ashley Levitt, the Monaco-based millionaire who has helped to transform Richmond from a Third Division side into one of England's 12 elite clubs, thinks they can break even financially the season after next.There are plans to upgrade the Athletic Ground but agreement will have to be reached with the agents of the Crown estate and the local council. There is also a suggestion of sharing Craven Cottage with Fulham FC."There isn't a bottomless pit of money and, if you like, we had to pay to play this season," Levitt said. "For us to sustain premiership status we're going to have to spend money on new players, but I don't see us doing that on an annual basis."Wisely, Richmond are investing in a youth programme, but in the meantime Moore believes the club will have to recruit at least half a dozen players."There's a lot of talent, but they'll have to mature quickly," he said "They will need to become more streetwise. I'm not sure they have the knack yet."The culture shock of life in the First Division will be even more pronounced because of the disparity in class between a handful of teams in League Two and the rest.