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'It was a little bit scary' - Paul Deacon on filling the Sale shoes of the texting Steve Diamond
Caretaker Sale boss Paul Deacon has described taking over for his first game last weekend as “a little bit scary”, adding that the deposed Steve Diamond was in touch via text following the Premiership club’s 26-14 opening round Champions Cup loss at Toulon.
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Heads were massively turned in English rugby circles last week when Diamond, the Manchester club’s long-serving director of rugby, suddenly quit following an alleged difference of opinion in the direction that the ambitious Sharks should take going forward.
That shock departure resulted in Deacon, who had been with Sale as Diamond’s assistant since 2015, being thrust into the primetime role as the club’s temporary figurehead for an awkward assignment in France.
Diamond’s sudden departure would have been a convenient excuse if Sale had gone on and shipped a hammering by 40 or 50 points. However, they resiliently stuck to their task and Deacon believes there were many positives to take from Toulon heading into Saturday’s round two game at home to Edinburgh.
“I’ll be honest, it was a little bit scary,” said Deacon, the 41-year-old who forged his career as a star player in Super League before switching codes to become attack/skills coach at Sale five years ago.
Three-time winners @RCTofficiel were back with a bang as they cruised to a home win over @SaleSharksRugby ? @sergioparisse was at his glorious best as the French got their campaign off to the perfect start ?#HeinekenChampionsCup highlights ?? pic.twitter.com/Mr2yfkgnAX
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 13, 2020
“I was nervous before the game. There were more decisions to be made during the game regarding substitutions and everybody is looking at you but I felt ready for it. During games, you have your own opinions. I enjoyed it, enjoyed it, and I just hope that the lads are enjoying the way I am dealing with things and we can all be in it together.
“Steve dropped me a text after the game saying the lads never give in and keep it positive so that is what I am trying to do, that is what we are all striving for. Stay positive and get better.
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“Obviously I have to think about a lot more things now which I didn’t have to think about before which takes time but also I have enjoyed that, getting my teeth into them things, but yeah the biggest change for me personally is it [the job] is always on your mind, you have always got them decisions, players to talk to, them type of things.
“I want things to be done correctly and in the right way. I pride myself on that. That is the thing I have to get used to, but the one thing I have to make sure is I do have some downtime as well and not burn myself out.
“I was proud of the performance. I said that to the lads after the game, Toulon away is a very tough place to go. I don’t think they have lost there yet this season in the French competition. We knew we were up against it going there, but we were confident. We knew we could put in a performance. Performance-wise we weren’t too far off which is pleasing and is definitely something to build on.”
England back row Tom Curry won’t figure in Deacon’s selection plans as he is still on a compulsory break following the Autumn Nations Cup campaign while skipper Jono Ross will also be absent as he is following return to play protocols after his concussion in Toulon.
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Really unfortunate after last Sunday's six-try Sandy Park success versus Glasgow #HeinekenChampionsCup
https://t.co/GJ5TKSvMsv— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 16, 2020
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Comments on RugbyPass
Bar 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.
9 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.
35 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.
2 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
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
35 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.
35 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.
35 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.
35 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 commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments