Beaumont's Column: 'We are all disappointed, but we are still united'
Beaumont’s Column: The Sale Sharks man assesses a tough start to the season for his club, a trip Welford Road, the top of the Premiership and he also talks England with 12 months to go until the World Cup.
‘We have responded to Dimes’
Obviously, we are all disappointed. It’s not where I envisaged being when I wrote my first column.
We were very optimistic after a good pre-season win against Castres, but it does show how tough the Premiership is going to be this year. I have been here six years now and it is definitely the most competitive season. We are all disappointed in camp, but we are still united and we are only four games in.
I don’t think we have been clinical enough in most areas. That was clear in the game against Wasps on Saturday. When you look at game, I think Dimes’ comments were fair. He has got a reaction out of the players because the intensity of training has really risen over the last couple of days.
The big focus we have been looking at has been our defence. That has been in our DNA certainly since I have been at Sale. We have always been a tough team to beat but unfortunately, we let ourselves down in that area on Saturday so it is something we have addressed. Leicester away can be the perfect remedy for us. We know it is going to be tough coming off a home loss and the guys will be massively up for the challenge on Sunday.
Dorian moves to the North-West
It has been a tough couple of days, but it is what we have needed to get the mindset right. Dimes has been out this week and brought in Dorian West as our forwards coach.
It has been quite refreshing just to get a new and different voice in. He has obviously come in with good pedigree from his time at Northampton. He has won the Premiership and a couple of Challenge Cups so he knows the league well. He has also obviously played against us as well so he knows what we are about up here at Sale so it has been good for him to come in and offer his opinion.
‘We are more than capable of doing the same as Worcester’
We are only four games in and as I have eluded to, it is going to be a very tight league this year all the way through.
Apart from the top two, who are already distancing themselves, it is going to be really tight and that was shown in Worcester going to Leicester and getting a result. We know we are more than capable of doing the same thing.
Obviously, we are at the bottom of the table and that’s not a nice feeling, but at the same time, we are only four games in and we can’t get drawn into a negative mindset too much.
We are also still missing some players. For some of the guys, it has been a long time since they have been back in the mix. James [O’Connor] and Rohan [Janse Van Rensburg] have been out this week and it is refreshing to get them back.
They are both international, quality players so to have them back in the mix is great for our younger players and especially our backline as well. We have the likes of Ashy [Chris Ashton] and Faf [De Klerk] coming back in hopefully soon so that just boosts the squad. These little things can hopefully pick the morale up and bring out the performances we are capable of.
Is the Premiership a two-horse race?
You can’t say it is a done deal just because there have only been four games, but Exeter and Sarries certainly have picked up from where they left off last year. We were in the game a lot against Exeter and in terms of our performance, it was probably the best we have played all year.
Those two teams are looking the strongest, but you can’t take anything for granted. Injuries can happen to a squad and both of them are in the Champions Cup and have quite a few internationals so it is relentless.
For both teams, they are just so clinical. Exeter, when they get it into the 22, they normally come away with a score. I am sure the percentage will be out there somewhere and I would think it would be a high one compared to the other teams in the league!
Sarries are the same really. They are so efficient at what they do. They really strangle teams and put opposition under huge amounts of pressure. Pressure forces errors and in the Premiership, I think the team that makes the least amount of errors tend to win and that’s why both of them are at the top of the table right now.
With a year until the World Cup, the Autumns will be a marker for England
The Autumn Internationals will be a good benchmark because England are facing three of the top Southern Hemisphere teams.
There is not a great deal of rugby the England squad will get to play before the World Cup and with new coaches and staff coming in, it is about getting systems in place.
I think it will be around 13 games between now and the World Cup which isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things so they will firmly have their sights set on that first World Cup game next September.
I would love to a part of it all and stranger things have happened in rugby! For me, it is about firstly cementing my place in the Sale team and playing well for Sale. I have just got to play well for my club and work on areas of my game that I know can help me push on to the next level and maybe get me back into the international frame.
Josh Beaumont was talking to TRU's Chris Heal
