TOM CURRY
“We were kept in the loop, constant communication around where his head was at in terms of the return to play and 12-day layoff. I rung him up myself because I do not just to see how he was because I care about him. It was a lot different to when he was knocked out for us when the symptoms were prolonged whereas there were non-existent for the England one. It was the right thing to do to make him available for the Japan game. Whether or not it was the right thing to play him was a difference of opinion for people to sit on the fence or make apparent their views in the press. He is not my player at that point. He never likes being in the public eye for the wrong reasons, no-one does. That is why all that stuff is white noise. He was fit to play and wanted to do so obviously. He thinks he could have played better. I thought he played ok but by his standards he wants more so he is motivated to prove that point this weekend like a few others who want to prove a point against Leicester.”
SURPRISED NOT TO SEE GEORGE FORD USED MORE BY ENGLAND DURING THE AUTUMN?
“Yes I was surprised but coming back to how I feel about him and my opinion of him. I would have used him because I know what he adds not just on the field but off it when he takes hold of something and drives it. I am probably man alone in terms of the British public aren’t I? He definitely comes back in as a coiled spring.”
RETURNING ENGLAND PLAYERS
“They have all come back in in great form. My biggest concern and worry is that they take too long to transition from one system to another. Some of them are striving to be starting in the Six Nations, not just coming in at the back end of a campaign; the likes of Tom Roebuck, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Joe Carpenter who actually want to break through into that squad. And others are quite frustrated through selection, injury or performance and they really want to get their teeth stuck back into the Premiership. For one reason or another it has worked out for us motivationally.
“The first thing I said to all the internationals is how proud I am and we are of their efforts. I don’t understand the reasons for some of the non-selections of some of them at times during this campaign. I don’t really have to. I can empathise with the players. You can either let that take some lumps off you in terms of your intensity and motivation or you can use it over these next few weeks coming back into his environment and prove our point which I made earlier; some of those lads who really want to show they are worthy of more and that they can do more. That is a conversation we have had. I thought Ben Curry was excellent when he came on against New Zealand, Tom Roebuck showed what he can do, Arron Reed is unfortunately behind two great wingers at Scotland. Reedy gets it but he is not happy about it, he wants more.”
CONTRACT SITUATIONS
Tom Curry and George Ford- hybrid EPS contracts shows interest from England long-term, about them knowing they are in England’s plans for the next World Cup, it does not though decrease their earnings paid by the club because they would have earned that money per game through the game appearance. But it does tie them into staying in England, negates the money from abroad and means continuing to play for England
Du Preez twins- “positive [discussions], never easy when you are talking about tough decisions and futures. In the end positive discussions. They always get interest because they are seen as South Africans who in some sense are mercenary because they are already away from their home country. What the du Preezs have shown over the years is that they are very loyal and they have made Manchester a second home. It was aimed at one of the twins predominantly but by one, and they talk, vicariously they all come into conversation. I think that’s how we got them. At present they are still very much motivated to play for Sale at this moment in time.”
Luke Cowan-Dickie- Analyst Hugh Jenner had a conversation on Tuesday, “nothing signed on the dotted line but in terms of general figures of what is acceptable we believe we are getting there”, there will be more money on offer in France but we are there or there abouts. Come bouncing back into Sale camp, will have some time off over the next three weekends but it will not be this weekend, has so much respect for what he has come through and returned to the level he has done
CHANGE OF DEFENCE COACH
“It would always be my choice to go internally. You have a succession plan in place because then you know those people have all your core values at heart and are indoctrinated in the culture and know the players. The rapport with the players is so important and it sometimes takes years to build that trust up. That would be my first decision and choice. What we have been doing here for some time is appraisals as there are in every work place and on the back of those as to how we think we are faring in terms of that rapport with the players and that is the cruel truth about professional sport, being judged every week and season. We have to be providing performances and outcomes that are progressively improving. So when we had this mini-break I said after the Bath game we had to fix our defence. Subjectively and objectively it was a mutual decision, it was the best thing for Jamie Langley and the club to find a better solution by way of a change in personnel. Byron McGuigan being in house is not luck because he has been in the wings for years. We are really fortunate to have a defence coach of his quality in house.
“One of the most concerning things about some of our defensive displays was our tackle dominance. We have been top of the tree for five or six years but this season we are down in sixth or seventh. That is not us. We need to have more intent in our power game and I know Byron can do that.”
ASHER OPOKU-FORDJOUR
“How good! I am dead made up for him and super proud. I said to him before I was proud of him and I told him to go play free and enjoy it. His whole family got in the changing room, took some pictures and we had a round of applause for him today. I didn’t expect him to get to that level at this point. He definitely had the potential. He went down to the camp as a loosehead three weeks ago and he impressed so much they put him across to tighthead and that is the first time they have ever considered him a tighthead. I am really happy that they are looking at him in that position because it suits us as well. We spoke before he got selected on Thursday night about the emotional crash all young players get after what he has just experienced of being involved in the England setup and getting his first cap. That is inevitable and it is a case of being in control of that crash so we understand when he gets his time off for a week. The awareness of feeling great right now but let’s be in charge of the emotion. For me tighthead is his primary position and I hope England are turning towards that. I am not going to silo him to just one position. Thomas du Toit is evidence enough that you can play both sides. You just cannot find tightheads of his mobility and quality. So to have one at this age who can scrum at the highest level. There is something special and they are now identifying that. Tighthead primarily but we will play him at loosehead at some point and he wants to be able to play both sides moving forward because he has the capabilities.”
INJURY UPDATE
Josh Beaumont- hamstring, not super bad, because of natures of knees and ankles we are looking after him
Le Roux Roets- broken little toe
Most of the squad fit, delighted to have likes of Raffi Quirke, Bevan Rodd and Nick Schonert back fit again, Rodd looks like he has never been away, Jean-Luc du Preez fit
"Probably as strong as we have been over the last three and a half years squad-wise to pick from"
OTHER NEWS
“Have a look at all those people you would keep on for the future and I think it is safe to assume that we have done a lot of work there”
Positive Premiership Rugby Cup period- namechecked likes of Tumy Onasanya, Tom Burrow (who got called up to England A training squad), Jos Gilmore
Restructured coaching department- shift in methodology and language
Leicester currently have best defence in the league so far this season, fewest tries conceded, have very good set-piece, they have got their bite back
“We were toothless against Bath”
Ben Bamber- received a phone call from Conor O’Shea about not being selected for England A game, who was open about about Ben being on the radar and wanting to take a look at different players, keep his head down, not like he was cast aside
Comments