NEWPORT Gwent Dragons boss Lyn Jones is hoping fate provides them with a return to Sale in the Challenge Cup so they can channel the pain of their Salford shambles.

The Dragons put in a woeful display in the Pool Two decider at AJ Bell Stadium when hammered 38-5 by the Sharks to see hopes of a Rodney Parade quarter-final crushed.

It is likely that they will return to the north west of England in April – but Jones would embrace that despite their five-try drubbing in which they were outplayed, outmuscled and outworked.

“Our best-case scenario is that we finish sixth and Sale finish third, which allows us to come back here,” said the director of rugby.

“You can say what you like about the group game not mattering if the teams meet again but there are feelings still there.

“You move on to the next challenge, remember how Sale played and use that to our advantage next time around.”

The Dragons will return to Sale as sixth seeds if Gloucester win in Zebre on Saturday afternoon and Montpellier fail to win with a bonus point against Harlequins this evening.

The full picture will be clear after the final Challenge Cup group game on Saturday evening with Kingsholm or Grenoble other possible destinations.

The Dragons played some excellent rugby in rounds one to five of the pool stages to secure a place in the last eight but, just like in last season’s semi-final at Edinburgh, a disastrous showing in front of the cameras has tainted their earlier exploits.

Jones said: “It’s fair to say it was a shocking night for us and we are disappointed with the standard of performance but fair play to Sale, they were excellent and everything they touched turned to gold.

“You get good days and bad days in rugby and it wasn’t a very good one for us. We are a better side than what we put out there.

“We have played so well in this competition so it’s disappointing to finish off on such a negative in front of the world. The good of the campaign dissipates.

“The motivation was in the Sale changing room because they were fighting at home to win the group and we didn’t show up mentally and that showed in the first half.

“We put 30 points on Castres one week and concede 30 the next, that’s not the consistency that any coach or player is proud of.”