Diamond slams green-eyed critics of Sale's Springbok recruitment drive
Sale boss Steve Diamond believes critics of his Springbok recruitment drive are green-eyed that the club has moved up to second place in the Gallagher Premiership and is now targeting a first trophy for 14 years against Harlequins in Sunday’s Premiership Rugby Cup final at the AJ Bell Stadium.
While next weekend’s showpiece decider is not the most important in English rugby, it offers the Manchester club the chance to blow dust off their trophy cabinet.
Diamond said: “Three years ago the investors came in and I said it would take us three years to get top four and that is what has been done.
“We were under the salary cap for seven years and are still under this season. To some people, we are seen with a green eye, but we get the best value for money. I still average 16 English players in every 23-man squad – fact.
“We put a lot into the Cup and we have a home final and it shows just where we have come from and where we are. There will be a sell-out crowd on Sunday, which is big for us.
“The best marketing tool is our team. The ship canal runs alongside the stadium and the fans would swim across that to watch us at the moment.
“We are playing a good brand of rugby, are second in the Premiership and our stadium holds a bit of fear for some teams. The next three weeks with the Cup final, Quins away and then Exeter could be a definer for us.”
With more room to manoeuvre with their roster, Exeter centre Sam Hill will shortly be confirmed as Sale’s latest signings.
And while Saracens pair Vincent Koch and Nick Isiekwe will not be arriving at the club’s Carrington training facilities, it is understood that Diamond is looking to bring in forwards from Argentina and Russia instead.
With Lood de Jager, the World Cup-winning lock, making his debut last weekend in the rout of London Irish, Diamond’s South African contingent is now complete and the Sale director of rugby excepts to be able to put out his first-choice XV in around six weeks due to players coming back from injury and others who have to be rested due to the game time they have already clocked up for club and country.
“I know what my first-choice XV is,” insisted Diamond. “It is very exciting and I’m pretty sure that team will be put out in the next six to seven weeks.
The ex-England winger has issued his response to Steve Diamond https://t.co/dZ0WoPqmrv
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 10, 2020
“For the first time I have a squad that means I can rotate players which I never thought I would do. I always thought rotation and rest was an excuse not to pick players but look at our back row options. We have five players who have played maximum minutes and they need to be rested.”
Sale off-loaded England winger Chris Ashton last week to cup final opponents Harlequins but while the mid-season timing seems strange, Diamond insists his team’s play-book and important calls will not be compromised.
“It’s a one-off game and last time we played them in a final they put us to bed in 2013,” he said about facing a Quins side beaten 28-15 at Bristol last weekend.
“People throw caution to the wind in this kind of one-off and have a lot to do, but Tom Curry and Mark Wilson are back from England duty. Rohan Janse van Rensburg is a week or to away with his hamstring and there is a doubt over Akker van der Merwe.”
WATCH: The Rugby Pod reflects on all last weekend’s Gallagher Premiership action
Comments on RugbyPass
Think you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
5 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
5 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
5 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
5 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
5 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
12 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
12 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
12 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to comments