1
'Across the board our endeavour and skill has to change' - Diamond concerned by Sale's ill-discipline
Sale boss Steve Diamond has warned his mis-firing team they have to halt their damaging losing run by defeating Wasps at the Ricoh Arena tomorrow night, or face the prospect of becoming also-rans this season. Sale were pushing leaders Exeter hard before the lockdown but defeats by Harlequins and the Chiefs have seen Diamond’s men drop down to fourth – one place behind Wasps – who have put together a pandemic-interrupted run of five successive bonus point victories.
ADVERTISEMENT
With restrictions imposed on the number of minutes players can be on the pitch during this hectic period of the season, Sale will make wholesale changes against Wasps with captain Jono Ross taking a break and Ben Curry leading the team out in a match they must win.
Diamond is concerned by Sale’s high penalty count after single figure performances helped them move into the top two of the Premiership and with 23 conceded against Exeter, he is urging his players to get smarter at the breakdown.
That could be a problem against Wasps who have shown in recent weeks an ability to compete with real intensity and success at the ruck, with Jack Willis and Thomas Young either stealing ball or winning penalties.
After tomorrow’s match Diamond’s men have Bristol at home, struggling Leicester away and then entertain Saracens and play-off chasing Bath.
“We have a job to do,” Diamond said. “We have dropped two places in two matches and if that continues we are out of the title race. We need to bring a sharp halt to that decline and pick up some points.
“My analysis is very simple. We were averaging nine penalties a match in the last three years and we are averaging 18 at the moment. Either we have had a complete disregard for the laws of the game or there is a problem with interpretation.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Last week we gave away seven penalties (against Exeter) at the breakdown yet we got six turnovers. I don’t think the risk and reward for my team is high enough to keep doing it.
“I am not going to win games unless we are under 10 penalties and I have two areas; the scrum where I have six international props giving away four penalties every game, which is unacceptable, and another 25 per cent of penalties coming from drives.
“Across the board our endeavour and skill has to change and we have had a good chat about it.
“If we can get under 10 penalties then we can get some momentum and let’s be honest, the first 40 minutes we did get momentum and were on top of the best team in the competition.
“The reason we couldn’t keep it going was because of those errors in law. It is about learning about the hoof.”
ADVERTISEMENT
'People have to realise why some people are not on board with it and not just call them racist because they don’t want to get behind it.' @Courtney_Lawes talks BLM, Eddie Jones and more with @jimhamilton4 https://t.co/EDnj0lduae
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 23, 2020
Sale are recovering at their new training facility which used to belong to Manchester City and Diamond added: “We have this new facility (at Carrington) with the hot and cold baths and swimming pools so they are being pampered a bit to be honest.
“We will be putting a different team out and not many of the line up would have played many minutes last week. They had Saturday off and today just doing an extended team run and brushing up on what we need to do.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
50 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments