'Journeyman' Tadgh McElroy battles the odds to earn new deal at Sale

Alex Sanderson has paid a gushing tribute to hooker bargain basement signing Tadgh McElroy, who is set to stay with Sale Sharks next season, admitting they wouldn’t be chasing a Premiership semi-final place without him.

The former London Irish, Ealing Trailfinders, Bristol Bears, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster hooker arrived at the club as short-term injury cover in October after an England call-up for Luke Cowan-Dickie and an injury to Tommy Taylor.

Sanderson was left with Ethan Caine as his only available senior hooker, and since joining the club McElroy, 27, has shone, scoring seven tries in 22 appearances and proving to be a more than effective deputy for Cowan-Dickie.

And with Taylor, who has missed the entire season, announcing his retirement two weeks ago due to nerve damage caused by a back injury, McElroy has earned himself a glowing reference and a new contract from Sanderson.

“We wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for Tadgh coming in and helping us out with a couple of injuries. I’ve known him for a long time, but have only worked with him for a couple of short periods.

“I don’t understand why no other organisation trusted him. I understand why he has had to be such a journeyman. He does everything he has to do to maximise his physical potential, and I mean everything.

“He wears funny shades on the coach on the way home, which I think is for eye fatigue, which is directly linked to brain fatigue. He has red light therapy, he has oxygen stuff, and he doesn’t drink.

“The guy is the ultimate professional. He is as tough as nails because he does all of that and preps so hard when he has the opportunity to step in for a British Lion (Cowan-Dickie) that enables him to play so well.

“If you could have another 10 or 15 of them, then your consistency over the course of a season, you wouldn’t get the peaks and the troughs that you generally get when players have to step up to the grade,” said the Sharks boss.