Following a steady start to the season, Sale Sharks’ top four hopes were written off by many. However, after their recent upturn in form they find themselves in third place and are well in the mix to get into the playoffs.
Last time out, they battered second placed Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate, holding the hosts to zero points scored in a 38-0 trouncing, which also gave Sale a first Premiership away win of the season.
As a team which has been impeccable at home so far this campaign, but disappointing away, Sharks look ahead to another tough test at Kingsholm Stadium where building consistency is key.
Sale’s Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson has recently spoken about being written off by many and that being a motivator for him and his team.
“There’s this kind of proving people wrong and it is a motivator for me, it’s a motivator for the group.
“And we’ve not been the most fashionable team in the past, but I’d like to think that the experts in the know and you guys who watch us week in week out and have more of an expert eye in the game would have probably backed us a bit more to have a resurgence with a full squad, which we thus far have.
“We need to cement that now, and that’s by backing it up and guaranteeing a top four placement before we go back into Europe.
“I don’t think we have proven our point strongly enough yet I want to be in the position where we’re not underdogs and we have to find different ways to motivate the team, but at the moment it’s still a very strong motivator.”
Many believe that a key reason behind the improved form has been the appointment of new defensive coach Byron McGuigan, speaking about why he has made such a difference, Sanderson said:
“First in and last out of this place, he works really hard. He’s first in having coffees with the boys in the morning, just talking, not even rugby, just is talking about life, at six o’clock. And then I left last night after six and he was he was still sat in there with Raffi Quirke, going through clips.
“Like he is pouring everything of himself into this position that he’s got to make us a really good defensive team and the lads see that, they see how hard he is working and they’re gonna work hard for that.”
Gloucester had a very impressive start to the season but has faltered slightly in recent weeks. The Sale DoR is still aware of the threat that they pose and hinted that it may be a tougher test than the win against Bristol.
“They’re still very much a potent attacking threat. Second across all attacking metrics only to Bristol, really. So that’s another good challenge, that we’ve put to the lads today.
“But it’s not the only one with Gloucester. They’ve got the best maul in the comp and they are hyper aggressive at the break down from the last couple of games, so there’s a lot of things that you need to get right against them especially down at Kingsholm, in front of the shed, they grow a leg there, don’t they?
“Basically it’s more difficult trying to just pinpoint one thing and it was singular against Bristol with how they’ve been playing and how they’d played against Leicester just to really focused and holding on defense wise but this week, it’s a lot more of a holistic approach.”
Scrum-half Raffi Quirke was in fine form at Ashton Gate and Sanderson effectively confirmed that he would be given the nine jersey ahead of Gus Warr, speaking about the relationship between the two, Alex said:
“Just driving each other on, that’s great when they’re mates and it’s a real healthy competitiveness between them.
“As you said Raffi was back to his kind of best form, so you know likelihood he will keep that jersey this weekend, you know, without like giving too much away, but Gus will have his part to play again.
“Gus will have a good stint as he does and we saw at the weekend because we’ve been trialing six two splits, A La South Africa, the forward pack and Raffi can play well on the wing as well, because he’s that quick. So that gives you that flexibility.”
Quirke will come up against one of the form players in the Premiership in Tomos Williams, while many may be worried about such a tough opponent, Alex talked positively about Raffi’s mindset going into it.
“Raffi is so excited about prospects of going up against it, as he does, like he doesn’t get nervous, Raffi just gets excited.”
