Sale Sharks 2013/14 Season Preview
With the start of the 2013/14 Aviva Premiership season less than two weeks away, the Talking Rugby Union team travelled to Sale Sharks’ Salford City Stadium for the club’s pre-season press day. The squad and entire coaching staff were present for interviews, photographs and the all-important club photo.
The 2012/13 season proved to be a difficult one for the Sharks, with the club spending a large majority of the season in the relegation place. Although, a string of late, good results found the club safe, finishing the year in tenth overall.
The main success of Sale’s season, however, was in the LV Cup, where wins against Saracens, Scarlets and London Wasps lead to Sale qualifying for the knock-out stages. They beat Saracens again in the semi-final, but lost in a highly competitive final, 14-31, to Harlequins.
After the highs and lows of last season, Sale are now well into their pre-season training. The club has played three games already this season, with wins over Fylde and Leeds Carnegie, but a disappointing loss away to Cardiff Blues.
Talking Rugby Union head journalist, Austin Halewood, managed to interview a number of players and coaching staff, on exactly how pre-season training was going, what they have been working on and the club’s ambitions for the coming season.
Sale Chairman, Steve Diamond, emphasised that defence would be critical this season; voicing how the club believes that "if we up our defence by ten percent this season, we will be a top six side”. In addition to this, Mr Diamond stressed the importance of building a team ethos about the club, rather than a side of individuals, criticizing the mentality brought to the club by Scottish star and British Lion, Richie Grey, who “turned up and didn’t really want to play for the side”.
Captain and ex-All Black, Dan Braid, confirmed to Talking Rugby Union that pre-season was going well, with the side focussing heavily on its defence and “really nailing our skills and specific details in our game plans. We’re already well ahead of where the guys were in the previous season”.
It was the general consensus on the day that after a positive pre-season, and a number of important signings, that Sale are in great shape, with their plans fitting into place before the start of the new season. The club’s ambitions are to finish in the top six and regain that all important spot in the Heineken Cup.
