AFTER watching on from the touchline at the Twickenham Stoop as Gloucester enjoyed European Challenge Cup glory last season, Sean Knight wants to be in the thick of the knockout action for Newport Gwent Dragons in the coming months.

The 25-year-old tighthead was a valuable member of the Cherry and Whites' line-up in the group stages of the tournament in 2014/15 but that's where his involvement ended.

He sat out the quarter-final win against Connacht, stunning semi-final success against Exeter and was agonisingly close to the action when the trophy was lifted against Edinburgh.

"I was travelling reserve for the final so that was a bitter pill but that's the way it is," said the prop, who didn't get a medal after not being part of the matchday squad.

"You are part of it and want them to win but I suppose it's a split feeling and it's not nice. It'd be nice to be involved this time and we've had a good run in this cup."

He will get that opportunity for knockout rugby in April when the Dragons take part in the last eight with tomorrow's trip to Sale deciding whether that tie will be at Rodney Parade or away from home.

Knight has featured in all of the fixtures so far and believes making it through a tricky group containing the Sharks and the French duo of Castres and Pau is a notable achievement.

"I've been in the Challenge Cup a few times with Gloucester and on paper this is the hardest group I've been involved in so it's great to get through," he said.

"We went out to Castres and just lost but the boys played so well to get a good win in Pau against their first XV.

"It's nice going into the Sale game knowing that we've got a quarter-final but everyone wants to be at home to give ourselves the best chance of a semi-final."

The Sharks, who are eighth in the Aviva Premiership, will start as favourites at the AJ Bell Stadium and Knight knows that nothing can be read into the 30-12 bonus point victory when the sides met in the Pool Two opener.

"We had a good victory against them down here but they will make a few changes to the team that came to Rodney Parade so I expect it to be a tougher test," said Knight, who started that game against his countrymen.

"I've played against Sale a few times and they are always tough games. They are a dogged team with some very good players who can make something out of nothing.

"We've got to keep an eye out for certain individuals like Danny Cipriani and Sam Tuitupou behind while they are a good unit as a pack so we will have to be on our mettle."