HOW IS BEN?
“He’s a bit less sore now. The type of person is he is he hasn’t really left the training ground. He has been in a hyperbaric chamber for about five hours and he is getting treatment. It’s really tough but if there is someone to do it it will be him. Making sure he is the best and fittest person to come back from a hamstring injury that there has ever been. When he does come back he will be the best prepared person.”
DOES THE CROCODILE ROLL THAT CAUSED BEN’S INJURY NEED TO BE OUTLAWED?
“I think we have got to the point now. This doesn’t have to be a big thing, it’s just a conversation. Every time we see an injury at the breakdown it’s from that. You have got to start listening to what is happening.
I think there is too much negativity around this (discussions about making the game safer). For me ultimately we are out there to play the game. If there is something that will make it safer then brilliant. But for me the game now is brilliant the way it is.”
WILL BEN’S INJURY ACT AS EXTRA MOTIVATION FOR THE FINAL?
“It has to. It’s tough because if there is someone who deserves to play in the final it’s him. It’s has to give us an extra edge. It has to or else it takes away from you. We can only do what’s best for the team.”
SPECIAL DAY IN THE SEMI-FINAL
“It was amazing, pretty cool. We are probably not used to having the AJ Bell Stadium like that so it was a nice change. To see what it meant to so many people is really special and it is not often you can celebrate like that.
“I was buzzing going into the semi-final. There were plenty of distractions and external noise for example arriving at the stadium. That’s a sign of where the team is as we were able to shut that out in terms of we had a clear plan. There was a feeling within the squad where we are able to back and trust each other, trust the way we want to play. Within the game we were 6-0 down inside the first 10 minutes having given away about five penalties. But we still felt we were going to come through not only because we were killing ourselves but we knew we were going to stick at it, come together and it was going to come good. It doesn’t mean we were perfect. I don’t think we gave a perfect account of ourselves, I still think we have more to give. But there was a feeling that we were going to keep working together, which I think is really important especially with what goes on externally.”
PREPARATIONS FOR THE FINAL AND NOT GETTING TOO EMOTIONAL TOO EARLY
“It’s quite easy so far. We are quite a good group in terms of keeping level-headed and enjoying. I think staying true to ourselves is really important. You don’t have to react like a superhero or really chilled. You just have to take each day as it comes. I think we are really lucky that we have a lot of experience and knowledgeable guys including the coaches. I think we are able just to keep building and trust the way we are and going to be.”
CHALLENGE OF SARACENS IN THE FINAL
“It’s not about looking at their chinks it’s about where we can be best. We are physical, we have an ability to be exciting but also to stay within our kicking game. I think that poses a lot of threats. I think we have found a lot more consistency in the way we want to play. It’s how do we bring out the best in ourselves and Saracens have to cope with that.”
HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO BE IN THE FINAL
“It’s special and that’s why you have got to enjoy it. We got to the semi-finals a couple of years ago against Exeter and we were so in it. We perhaps forced it a little bit This time has been a lot more enjoyable, natural and feels like we are clicking. We have been ourselves more. Moments like Sunday’s semi-final and then the final next weekend you see the young and old fans, people who have supported the club way longer than I have been alive. To see how much it means to them is the special part. For me the journey with my hamstring injuries this season has made me appreciate it a lot more. I think I have come back from those injuries in a much better space physically and mentally which has meant I have been able to enjoy the journey and take it for what it is.”
TAXING SEMI-FINAL AND BENEFITS OF A WEEK OFF BEFORE THE FINAL
“It’s huge (to have a week off). We were speaking about the semi-final a couple of years ago when we had to play Exeter back-to-back and then Exeter had to play Harlequins a week after and it was like ‘How have they managed to do that?’ We are grateful and able to recover. We are able to get a lot more detail in this week. When it comes to next week we can properly attack it which will be beneficial because you want to throw the kitchen sink at it. We have got the detail in the bank so we will be able to throw ourselves into things more than you would in a normal week as you would have to do more recovery.”
FEELING FRESHER AT THIS STAGE OF SEASON BECAUSE OF MISSED GAMES DUE TO INJURIES?
“Definitely, although I think the lungs would disagree. Naturally you do. I have been able to work with different bits and bobs and change quite a lot. When you have not really played for three or four months you are able to look at things in a lot more detail, from an athlete perspective more so than a rugby one. I think that is really important. Making the most out of your time because every cloud has a silver lining. The body feels great and I am just excited to be back playing.”
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCES IN THE PAST
“Knockout rugby is different. The most important thing I have learnt so far is to be yourself. It doesn’t mean you start being more relaxed or more intense. You just have to be yourself. I am probably talking more about the training week because once you get to the game you are playing so it’s normal. The training weeks is what can be affected and the mood around what you give off to the rest of the squad especially as a leadership group which is really important. You don’t have to start giving big speeches or tearing around. You just have to get yourself right. It’s easy to say or do on paper but in person it’s quite hard.”
HOW BIG WOULD IT BE FOR NORTEHRN RUGBY FOR SALE TO WIN THE FINAL?
“It’s the biggest thing isn’t it. You can’t get any bigger than this. You would be saying that if you were every club. It’s huge. I remember the Sale team that lifted the Premiership trophy in 2006 and I think it’s important to create memories for young and old. If that inspires one person then great.”
INFLUENCE AND IMPACT OF ALEX SANDERSON
“Recruitment is a massive one first and foremost in terms of Alex and the owners, the Oranges’ and the Masons’. All of them have had a huge part to play. Alex has the ability to see deeper than a game of rugby. To give clarity to players so that they can be physical and get off the line. Making sure that we are all on the same page, forwards and backs, so we are just in the flow. I think there are little bits that make a huge difference later on down the line in the week. I think his meetings are brilliant; they are full of lots of information and detail which could cloud you. It’s about simple messages which are brought over in a great way that the players can relate to. He gets the general gist of the training week should run and how to get clarity into the players so when the weekend rolls around you are just able to fly into it. The mindset of the meetings are good which puts you in good stead late on in games for example. He has brought that support aspect and having a relationship with him is brilliant. He treats me and Ben differently. For Ben he thrives on being right on it whereas for me it is taking slightly more off it so I can just play. In that regard I think Alex has been extremely clever and we have probably learnt a lot about ourselves in having him be like that. I am really appreciative of that.”
Spoke about preparation being key when preparing for the breakdown
Some nice messages from the 2006 winning team- Magnus Lund, Dean Schofield, Mark Cueto, Jason White
Going to be very special and exciting running out at Twickenham in a Sale shirt
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