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We’re slightly over halfway in the 2016-17 season. But unfortunately for most Sale fans, we’re already dreaming of next season. In the Premiership, Sale sit a disappointing 10th with only three wins in thirteen games. Whilst a drop-off from last season’s impressive sixth-place finish was expected given the losses of club stalwarts Danny Cipriani, Tommy Taylor and Vadim Cobilas along with some, ahem, underwhelming recruitment that the club’s summer ownership takeover came far too late to influence, to have endured such a miserable first 13/22th of the season and be firmly mired in a relegation battle means there is little domestic solace to be had. It is the Championship rather than the Champions Cup that currently looks a more feasible proposition for next season. Speaking of European rugby, despite last weekend’s 25-23 victory over Scarlets – Sale’s first in the Champions Cup since October 2012 - the Sharks unsurprisingly finished dead last in Pool 3 behind continental heavyweights Saracens and Toulon as well as a plucky Scarlets team, again re-affirming that this is a team that requires serious investment before consistent top-six finishes and respectable European pool stage showings can be expected. To compound matters further, Sale are also currently bottom of their Anglo-Welsh Cup pool; however all four sides in said pool (Ospreys, Exeter and Worcester the others) have all won one and lost one of their first two fixtures in the tournament and the Sharks are bottom by virtue of their lack of a four-try bonus-point in their solitary win. Also nobody cares about the Anglo-Welsh Cup anyway (unless Sale thrash Cardiff on Friday and go on to win their first piece of silverware since 2006). However rather than conduct an autopsy on a season which by all means is already dead-in-the-water and in which simply remaining in the Premiership for next season and maybe signing Ben Spencer would be considered a magnanimous achievement, let’s adopt a statistical outlook and take an objective view of the positives and negatives of Sale’s season thus far. Given that, unlike the United Kingdom (yet), Sale are out of Europe and statistics aren’t publicly available for the Anglo-Welsh Cup, all statistics listed are in relation to the Aviva Premiership. Also, would you the reader please bear in mind that as I neither work for BT Sport or Premiership Rugby and cannot afford the £2000+ annual subscription cost to Opta Sports (although if you’re looking for a justification to donate to The Shark Tank’s Patreon page, there you go), the stats listed are what I have been able to find publicly and may not be as comprehensive as any of us would prefer. Instead most statistics come from the excellent ukrugbystats.co.uk and rugby.statbunker.com Disciplinary Record Disciple has been a major issue in Sale’s performances this season with the team enduring a torrid run in recent weeks of being unable to see out a full eighty minutes with a full contingent of players. It is not surprising therefore that Sale lead the Premiership in cards accumulated with nine yellow cards in thirteen fixtures thus far (no reds). Sale’s lacklustre discipline meanwhile is slightly worse at home than it is away with five yellow cards being awarded at the AJ Bell and four at opposition grounds. The club also appear to be struggling to abide by the rules as the game progresses having been awarded six second-half yellow cards compared to three in the first forty. Those who have been carded in the line of duty this season is as follows: Halani Aulika x2 Jonathan Mills Byron McGuigan Johnny Leota Neil Briggs Josh Beaumont Mike Philips Rob Webber Tries Scored / Conceded Erstwhile, a comprehensive rundown of Sale’s point scoring and conceding thus far this season is as follows: At Home Scored Eleven tries in six games, an average of 1.83 per game. Conceded Fifteen tries conceded in six games, an average of 2.5 tries per game Away Scored Nineteen tries in seven games, an average of 2.71 per game Conceded Twenty-one tries conceded in seven games, an average of 3 per game Total Scored (11+19) = 30 total tries scored. Sale are 7th in the Premiership for tries scored behind Wasps, Chiefs, Gloucester, Saracens, Bath and Harlequins. Sale are averaging 2.3 tries scored per game By Time: 0-20: 8 21-40: 5 41-60: 8 61-80: 9 Conceded (14+22) = 36 total tries conceded. Sale have conceded the 5th most tries in the Premiership this season ahead of Bristol, Worcester, Newcastle and Harlequins. Sale are averaging 2.77 tries conceded per game By Time: 0-20: 9 21-40: 13 (!) 41-60: 5 61-80: 9 Top Try Scorers Despite having only three Premiership games under his belt (and a Champions Cup fixture), mid-season signing Denny Solomona has already leaped to the top of Sale’s individual try-scoring charts, with all four of his touchdowns in a Sale shirt coming in the domestic league: Denny Solomona – 4 Byron McGuigan – 3 Johnny Leota – 3 Will Addison – 2 Halani Aulika – 2 Paolo Odogwu – 2 Bryn Evans – 2 Mike Haley - 2 David Seymour – 1 Sam James – 1 Cameron Neild – 1 Neil Briggs – 1 Mike Phillips – 1 Eifon Lewis-Roberts – 1 Tom Curry – 1 Josh Beaumont – 1 Penalty Try - 1 Points Scored Home First Half 64 (An average of 10.66 points) Second Half 39 (An average of 6.5 points) Away First Half 51 (An average of 7.2 points) Second Half 89 (An average of 12.71) Kicking Points Scored from Tee AJ MacGInty – 35 Will Addison – 31 Dan Mugford – 20 Conversions AJ MacGinty – 7 Will Addison – 5 Dan Mugford - 4 Penalties AJ MacGinty – 7 Will Addison – 7 Dan Mugford - 4 Kicking Percentage AJ MacGinty – 82.35% (14/17) – 6th in the Premiership Will Addison – 75% (12/16) – 16th in the Premiership Dan Mugford – 72.73% (8/11) – 18th in the Premiership Most Appearances (Starts) Josh Beaumont – 13 (12) Mike Phillips - 13 (8) Neil Briggs – 13 (8) Halani Aulika – 13 (7) Bryn Evans – 12 (12) League Leaders Most Carries Thomas Waldrom - 226 Cameron Neild – 163 Ben Morgan – 144 Most Off-Loads Louis Picamoles - 26 Sam James – 22 Billy Vunipola – 17 Lineouts Won Josh Beaumont – 77 Graham Kitchener – 65 James Horwill – 62 Miscellaneous Most Points in a Match 14- AJ MacGinty – Worcester Warriors (24/09) 14- Dan Mugford – Harlequins (9/09) 14- Will Addison – Leicester Tigers (1/10) Most Tries in a Match 2 – Will Addison – Worcester Warriors (24/09) 2 – Denny Solomona – Harlequins (7/01) 2 – Bryn Evans – Wasps (27/11) Most Team Tries 5 – Bristol (30/10) 4 – Leicester Tigers (1/10) 4 – Worcester Warriors (24/09) Most Team Points 34 – Worcester (24/09) 34 – Leicester Tigers (1/10) 31 – Bristol (30/10) Least Team Points 3 – Exeter Chiefs (2/12) 3 – Bath (7/10) 5 – Northampton Saints (23/12) Follow The Shark Tank on Twitter for more news, analysis and opinions on all things Sale Sharks.
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Be it not for a fortuitous bounce that allowed Harlequins fly-half Tim Swiel to run in unopposed under the posts late in the first-half of Saturday’s clash at The Stoop, Sale’s now-nine game losing run in all competitions would have ended approximately forty minutes later. Frustratingly, said bounce did occur, Swiel scored seven points immediately after Charlie Walker’s try had tied the game at 13-apiece and Sale would ultimately leave South-West London on Saturday evening with only a single losing bonus point having been outlasted 29-26. Despite a much improved offering from Sale who, for the first time in a number of weeks, arrived at an opposition stadia with a comprehensive gameplan which was then by-and-large enacted, a brace of tries from Denny Solomona – including a breath-taking shoelace catch from a TJ Ioane(!) cross-kick that ultimately earned Sale their consolation point – and a further effort from Byron McGuigan (set up by a perfectly weighted Johnny Leota miss pass), Swiel’s 24-point haul would inch Harlequins to a fortuitous, albeit opportunistic, victory. The return of Will Addison to the starting lineup appeared to add fresh impetus to the oft-maligned Sharks backline with the Cumbrian combining well with Sam James (again at fly-half), Leota, Solomona and McGuigan who all turned in strong individual performances as part of a Sharks’ attack which showed both variety and dynamism with ball-in-hand. Addison also once again performed admirably having been cast into the role of primary placekicker, slotting four of his six attempts at goal. That he missed the two conversions which would have given Sale a narrow 30-29 win speaks more urgently of Sale’s lack of a consistent place-kicker/playmaker combination at fly-half than it does Addison’s ability as a spot starter in the role. Solomona’s arrival especially has breathed new life into the no-longer quite-as-dormant Sale offense. The New Zealander’s pace out wide has given Sale – regardless of who is at number 10 – the option of kicking the ball wide and behind the defensive line and using Solomona's pace and aerial ability to pressure the covering defenders if he is unable to reclaim the ball himself. It was not always used successfully on Saturday, but it has added another weapon to Sale’s relatively empty arsenal as an effective counter-weapon against defences looking to pressure the Sharks’ inexperienced pairings at half-back and as a free-play tactic with the penalty advantage already secured. Whilst the Sharks once again showed encouraging signs that the current harrowing losing streak should not make it past January and, if nothing else, picked up a second point in two weeks, this game was lost – or more accurately not won – because of the squad’s bench depth which for the umpteenth season running has once again proven to be an issue. The Sale scrum, another aspect of the team which has picked up considerably in the last few weeks behind the play of Ross Harrison, Rob Webber and Halani Aulika, simply disintegrated in the second-half when the aforementioned trio left the field costing Sale two penalties and a further six point swing which swung the game back in Harlequins’ favour. James Flynn, Neil Briggs and Kieran Longbottom struggled to cope with their opposition numbers, and behind them, neither Jonathan Mills nor Ben Curry provide the ball-carrying nous and impact to help turn the game in Sale’s favour in the loose. The rumour in today’s (Sunday’s) Rugby Paper, that Sale are eying Japanese Number Eight Amanaki Mafi as a potential recruit would be a significant coup for a team lacking impact players beyond the sixty-minute mark. Unfortunately Sale, having showed promising signs of a return to domestic form, now find themselves driven back to distraction with an unwelcome European double-header against Toulon and Scarlets. However, should Sale continue their upturn in form, these now otherwise meaningless European fixtures could continue to instil a sense of confidence in a side that is finally beginning to display the ambition and cohesiveness that was so sorely lacking when the nine-game losing streak first began. Follow The Shark Tank on Twitter for more news, analysis and opinions on all things Sale Sharks. Enjoyed reading The Shark Tank over the past two-and-a-half years? Please consider supporting the website via its Patreon page. Forget for a moment that Sale were sucker-punched over the weekend by bottom-of-the-table Bristol 24-23 which now sees the Sharks firmly embedded in a suddenly three-sided relegation quagmire, and instead think of happier times (i.e. last Saturday) when rumours continued to abound of England international fly-halves seriously contemplating moves back to the North-West. With the Gregorian calendar now firmly fixed to 2017 and the embargo on contacting out-of-contract Premiership players now lifted, it is time for all teams – Sale included – to cast their eye to recruiting players for next season and beyond even if the (admittedly) slim possibility of relegation may cause one or two potential targets to pause before committing their long-term futures to Manchester. But let’s proceed under the assumption that Sale will eventually win another game this season, comfortably avoid relegation at the expense of Bristol and/or Worcester and begin to utilise the nascent avenues of investment promised by the club’s new ownership group. But if Sale are to begin the assiduous process of establishing themselves as a sustainable element of English rugby’s elite as touted by said ownership since their acquisition of the club, significant parts of the current squad will need addressing and improvement. Below, ranked by urgency, are the positions which I expect Sale to invest in over the coming months. First, the potential departed from the club this summer should be identified. As indicated by the out of contract list found here, Tom Arscott, Neil Briggs, Eifon Lewis-Roberts, Magnus Lund, Joanthan Mills, Brian Mujati, Mike Phillips, Peter Stringer and Sam Tuitupou are all currently on expiring contracts and have yet to be re-signed. Director of Rugby Steve Diamond has already confirmed that Lewis-Roberts will be retiring at the end of the season and conventional wisdom would suggest that he will be joined by Peter Stringer (39), Mike Phillips and possibly Sam Tuitupou with the latter two set to turn 35 before the start of the 2016-17 campaign. Magnus Lund (34 next season) is also a contender for retirement. Furthermore questions marks remain over whether Brian Mujati will be re-signed with the Zimbabwean’s omission from matchday squads earlier in the season in favour of Halani Aulika and Kieran Longbottom suggest he has fallen considerably down Diamond’s propping pecking order for whatever reason. That leaves Arscott (29), Mills (32), Briggs (31) as the players that it would be reasonable to expect to be re-signed if for no other reason than their familiarity with the club, the club’s style of play and their ability to offer experienced rotation options throughout the course of the season. With the possible loss of six first-team players factored in, here is the areas that Sale will unequivocally need to strengthen ahead of next season. Scrum-half The most glaring current need in the Sale squad. Mike Phillips has thus far been a bust and a poor fit for a backline that demands quick delivery from the base of the scrum. James Mitchell has shown some promise in a number of cameo appearances over the season but at 21 is far too inexperienced to assume the mantle of the incumbent scrum-half should both Stringer and Phillips retire. Mitchell could be promoted into a full-time backup position next season but an experienced and (currently) international-quality scrum-half is desperately needed. Possible Target: Nick Phipps (You read it here first.) Loosehead Prop Since (apparently although there’s still not be an official announcement) Ross Harrison penned a three-year extension, the 24-year-old has been ripping up trees and has shown the potential to go into next season as Sale’s undisputed starting looshead. However with Eifon Lewis-Roberts retiring another prop to contend with Harrison and James Flynn is required should either’s form drop off. Three Premiership-quality props on either side of the scrum is an absolute must to be a top-six contender. Possible Target: Val Rapava-Ruskin Lock/Blindside Flanker With summer signing Lou Reed awol all season so far (and another contender to move on in the off-season), the Sharks are left with only three tangible options for the second row in Mills, Bryn Evans and Andrei Ostrikov. Acquiring a bulky, ball-playing lock to partner with Evans as first-choice pairing who also has the ability to add further ballast and ball-carrying ability to the habitually ‘lightweight’ Sale backrow would also be a boon. Possible Target: Juandre Kruger (Not really but somebody in that exact mould.) Fly-Half The jury is still considerably out on AJ MacGinty and/or Sam James’ long-term future in a number 10 shirt, but let’s face facts: if the opportunity to add George Ford or somebody of a similar calibre emerges, it is a move Sale have to make. Ford/MacGinty/Mugford with James also able to cover the position? That’s genuine strength-in-depth. Possible Target: George Ford Inside Centre Depending on whether Sam Tuitupou does opt to retire (or is re-signed), another vacancy could emerge in the Sale backline. Mark Jennings continues to be left out in the cold and Johnny Leota has struggled to replicate his bullish performances of recent seasons. If Will Addison moves over to Outside Centre full-time that logically slots Sam James into the interior midfield spot but another centre could still be looked at to replicate Tutiupou’s combination of powerful running and soft hands. Tighthead Prop Should either Ciaran Parker or Jake Pope show enough in Carrington to warrant a full-time place with the first-team next season this suggestion is nullified. However should neither make the expected leap, an experienced tighthead is a possibility to replace Mujati (should he leave) and provide further cover for Aulika and Longbottom. Follow The Shark Tank on Twitter for more news, analysis and opinions on all things Sale Sharks. If you would like to continue to support The Shark Tank please consider donating to its Patreon page. A 15-0 start, later followed by a 23-10 lead, were both wasted as Sale crashed to a 24-23 defeat at home to bottom-of-the-table Bristol Rugby on Sunday afternoon, their eighth consecutive defeat in all competitions. The loss, a frankly abysmal result given the importance riding on the New Year’s Day clash following Sale’s downturn in form over the last two months, is now conclusive proof that the Sharks’ 2016-17 season will now only be defined by their ability to avoid relegation, a scenario that has become frighteningly palpable given that 11th place Worcester also won today, 21-17 over Harlequins. As of Sunday night, Sale sit 10th on 19 points with only Worcester (14) and Bristol (12) below them and Gloucester an increasingly comfortably six points above them in 9th. And whilst the two-win, eight-point swing that would see Bristol leapfrog Sale and condemn the Sharks to a season in the Championship is still a sizeable proposition for the former, if current form continues Sale will assume the mantle of relegation favourites. Despite admirable performances from James Mitchell and Sam James – the latest combination rolled out on the Sharks’ revolving half-back platform – tries from Denny Solomona, Johnny Leota and a first-half penalty try were nullified by touchdowns from Tom Varndell, Rhodri Williams, Max Crumpton and nine points from Jason Woodward as Bristol mounted a 14-point second-half comeback. And whilst this was unsurprisingly Sale’s most complete performance for over two months, to have failed to record anything more than a consolatory losing bonus point in a potentially season-defining fixture, and to have once again been unable to show the prerequisite composure to close out what should have been a comfortable victory, shows how farcical this season has become. The positives on show was that Sale appeared to have finally regained a semblance of attacking shape and structure with Sam James back at fly-half with Mike Haley also turning in an impressive cameo when assuming playmaking duties. Furthermore, Ross Harrison, Rob Webber and Halani Aulika continued their collective august form, James Mitchell looked comfortable starting in the Premiership and Neil Briggs really enjoyed the chanting emanating from the South Stand. But Sale once again showed a lackadaisical sense of equanimity despite their healthy lead and superior play for the majority of the 80 minutes, gifting Bristol a try immediately after Johnny Leota had touched down through aimless territorial kicking, woeful defensive positioning and tackling. And following Williams’ touchdown, the Sharks simply collapsed, never threatening the Bristol tryline again and conceding the game-winning try from a Bristol rolling maul minutes later. Unfortunately this is not a new experience for Sale and gargantuan questions must now be asked of Steve Diamond’s position as Director of Rugby. It is clear Sale have the players and the collective talent to be a successful – or lower-mid table side comfortable shorn of the relegation places - in the Premiership, even if Diamond’s external recruitment for this season has proven thus far to be more bust than boom. But the same issues that have plagued Sale all season – and for most of Diamond’s four-year tenure – are once again apparent, there is an embarrassing lack of leadership, tactical direction and composure under intense pressure within this current Sale team and the buck must stop at Diamond who does not appear capable of implementing the game management structure necessary for Sale to comfortable see out games. It is clear that in recent seasons Diamond has worked wonders on his old stomping ground and frankly, helped Sale to over-achieve whilst the teams around them (Harlequins, Gloucester etc.) have under-achieved. But the Premiership has evolved and Sale have not. And unless drastic changes are made immediately – be it an influx of mid-season signings to fix the glaring deficiencies in the current Sharks roster or a re-shuffle in the coaching setup (for instance bringing in someone to serve as a head coach under Diamond and revise the weekly game-management strategy) Sale are in significant danger of falling out of the Premiership. This was not a scenario feasible when Sale lost to Gloucester, or Exeter, or Saracens or even Northampton. But with Sunday’s loss, it’s time to press the panic button. Follow The Shark Tank on Twitter for more news, analysis and opinions on all things Sale Sharks. |
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