REFLECTIONS ON DEFEAT AT NORTHAMPTON
“Frustration at the result and how the middle 20 minutes of the second half panned out. For want of a couple of opportunities we would have felt a lot different and you have got to weight up the frustration versus the logical and emotional reflection of the performance. As I said after the game that was unlike some of our other losses this year away from home on short turnarounds where we just haven’t shown up. So I was much happier with the growth that we have shown.”
COBUS WIESE’S FUTURE
“It is a scenario that we are familiar with and not an uncommon one for us unfortunately. It seems to a degree the nature of a lot of our South Africans who haven’t made Manchester their second home, who have young families and ageing parents. It is a very similar rhetoric to what we have faced over the last three years.
“There are not a lot of players like Cobus but there are a few. I need to keep my powder dry in terms of keeping a lid on the other players we are looking at.”
INTEREST IN CHARLIE EWELS
“We are always looking to strengthen the gene pool. Charlie is a great player so he is someone we are interested in amongst others.
“You have got to keep trying to add to it. Hence why I admitted talking to Charlie because you cannot afford to stand still. For us the most part is retention and that brings its own difficulties. You have still got to add to your core group by way of players with x-factor who you can improve your squad.”
WHEN WILL THERE BE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS?
“Not whilst there are things up in the air. It just adds to speculation, more white noise around the changing room and in negotiations. So I would rather keep schtum for the moment until certain aspects like Cobus and other players are more concrete.
“We are way down the line with negotiations. I think we will have all the negotiations if not signed off then certainly in the process of by the end of the month, before the break. We will give you some news in the next few weeks on who we have retained and who we are looking to sign.”
TOM CURRY’S RECOVERY
“No new updates as to Tom. His rehab is going very well. It was next season as worst-case scenario. I am positive he could make a comeback by the end of this season but we don’t want to put that pressure on him or us at this point in time because it is still early days.
“He is really positive. I haven’t really touched base with the medical team as it is a long-term injury. There is no point creating anxiety around something which we said would take our time with and take it step-by-step. I made him walk up six flights of stairs as part of a communication workshop. Aside from a sweat that was the only complaint he had so he is in good fettle.”
DO PLAYERS PICK UP ON RUMOUR MILL?
“It is probably player-to-player, case-by-case basis and their ability to shut it out. It’s evident in every club around this time of the year for those who are in negotiations. England opportunities and selection which has its ramifications on retention because of the hybridised contracts which are coming into play. From my own understanding it is best you communicate as early and honestly as you can so if you don’t have a definitive answer and things are still up in the air they know it is on your mind and you are working on it.
“We have brought the leadership group in closer around this time of the year over the last three weeks going into the next four so that we have a line of communication between the players and coaches so we can get a gauge on what is being said and the level of white noise. Every club is going through it and the clubs that are able to silence it the best are the ones who will persevere the best.”
INTERNATIONAL ALLEGIANCES OF TOM ROEBUCK, ARRON REED AND GUS WARR
“What has happened in the past is that certain members of the SRU have come to our players, offered them that carrot and lured them to provincial teams in Scotland. When all that happens prior to your knowledge it is almost too late to put your own case forward. I have approached the three of them as soon as I heard about it. We have talked about their options and hopefully help them through that decision-making process with them. That’s the aim, not just for our benefit but for theirs as well, what’s best for them.
“It is quite obvious with Tom, who was offered a World Cup opportunity with Scotland and he turned that down. I feel like he didn’t want to close the door on England and he was very keen to play for England. He is right on the scene for England, I know that much. The next three weeks prior to selection will probably be the deciding factor whether or not he makes that squad. He is very close and that is confirmation from Steve Borthwick.
“Arron is on the peripheries of England and Scotland. By his own admission he is probably six out of ten in terms of how much growth he has. It is whether or not he plays his hand as early as he needs to whilst he is in this stage of his development, talking about Scotland there. It doesn’t make any difference to us in terms of EQP, it might make a difference to contract money because we get some money back from the RFU which we don’t get from the SRU.
“With Gus he is a bit more on the peripheries, further away from England and closer to Scotland. His best chance of playing international rugby right now is Scotland.
“I don’t stamp my authority. It’s a discussion about what they want and what is best for their career development. I have to take on their aspirations otherwise there will be a divide by way of our communication and where we are both trying to get to. The long-term pictures have to be aligned.”
GEORGE FORD’S FORM
“It is consistently always high. He is such a quality professional and asset to your club. In the games where we have played really well he has been pivotal in terms of his tactical decision-making in terms of his kicking. No-one can argue that he is the best in the game at that, bar Owen Farrell on his day but he is out of the question for England. I think he has come on as a leader, England do as well.
“There are certain aspects of his game that we are looking to grow here at the club are ones he wants to improve upon like his ability to attack the line. I think his game is in good shape generally speaking. Whether or not he has been at his best every week that has also ebbed and flowed with our own form so he is not totally to blame for that. He has got to be in with a firm shout for the starting England 10 jersey; I think it’s between him and Marcus Smith.”
ASHER OPOKU-FORDJOUR
“He has had opportunity, first and foremost. A lot of clubs who probably have players of his calibre who just don’t get the opportunity. There is a perception in particular in the front-row that you don’t earn your stripes and you cannot scrum as well as what an experienced player can. He has had an opportunity through Coenie (Oosthuizen) going, Nick Schonert getting a bit older and James Harper having a few injuries where he has been thrust onto the big stage and he has taken the bull by the horns, with both hands. That is not easy; he is doing things I haven’t seen a 19-year-old do at tighthead. I am talking scrum-wise here let alone the fact that he is so dynamic around the park. That is exceptional. We have seen it in training but it is another thing to transfer that into matchday. The better players he has come up against, like British and Irish Lions, he has performed better.
INJURY UPDATE
Few bumps and bruises
Ernst van Rhyn, Cobus Wiese and Jean-Luc du Preez all fine
Bevan Rodd- still a while away
Raffi Quirke—still a few weeks away
Dan du Preez- not too far off, could be available in the next couple of weeks
Simon McIntyre- a couple of weeks behind DDP, back after the South Africa trip
Tom Ellis- back in training
OTHER NEWS
Bristol have not had a consistent strategy through this season, changed from kicking a lot at the start of the season to running more recently, very dangerous team, doesn’t know what to expect from them on Friday, they have very good strike-runners
Looking forward to reunion with ex-Shark AJ MacGinty, bit of extra spice as AJ set to return from injury for Bristol for Friday night’s game
The Premiership is really healthy, on-field product is good- shown by Premiership and performances in Europe
Premiership rugby has needed big attendances recently- a need to make the game sustainable, key is continuing to bring people back
Al’s own opinion is that salary cap should not be going up until we make the game more sustainable, we are lucky to have owners who are in it for the long-haul, we will spend up the cap, continued investment, coaches are signed up
New PGA could see squad sizes restricted to 35 players with 15 senior academy players
Sees hybridised contracts for England as a good thing for Sale, rewards teams for larger contingent of English-qualified international players
Asher Opoku-Fordjour will need to put a little bit of weight on (roughly another 5kg) in time, his core-strength is incredible, that is where he is different, exciting that he is going to get better
Excited for a big month ahead before the break- Bristol (home) and Gloucester (away) in the Prem, Stormers (away) and La Rochelle (home) in the Champions Cup, let’s embrace the next month
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