It was good to be back in the starting line-up after two weeks without playing. A few injuries and international call-ups meant the squad was tested for the first time this season.

Sale had a great season last year and, despite losing a few key players, they remain a tough team to beat, especially at the AJ Bell stadium.

Frankly, we didn’t front up to the challenge and with two yellow cards towards the end of the first half, we trailed 22-3 at the break. It didn’t get much better in the second and, despite a consolation try, Sale went over twice more to end the game 36-8.

This was a poor performance by our standards that will need a big week on the training paddock to put right before the visit of Bath to the Madejski Stadium this Saturday.

The next four weeks will be crucial in deciding how our season pans out; we’re currently sitting 10th in the table which doesn’t sound great, but we are only four points adrift from seventh.

We are still top of the group in Europe with the potential of a home quarter final, so three wins at home should put us in a good position in both competitions.

Off the pitch you may have noticed moustaches sprouting on players across country in aid of Movember, a charity with the mission to change the face of men’s health.

The London Irish effort is being captained by Eammon Sheridan and includes myself, Topsy Ojo, Alex Lewington, Myles Dorrian, Guy Armitage and Richard Palframan. As an extra incentive to raise as much as possible the Mo team has agreed that whoever raises the least will have to keep their tache for an extra month and face spending Christmas with their hairy creation.

So far we’ve raised £542 and sit seventh in the standing of Premiership teams, so with a big push in November we’re hoping to get into the top four.

Please show your support and donate at http://mobro.co/andrewfenby. We’ve got a few fundraisers left to go with a London Irish team competing in the Movember Dodgeball competition this week plus a Movember quiz for Irish fans hosted by the Mo team at Hazelwood on November 26th. Everyone is welcome and the entry fee is a £10 donation to the London Irish effort. Hope to see a few of you there where you can critique our Moustaches and test your knowledge with the Movember quiz!