2006-2007 Season review

By saleborn33
June 26 2007

We all see something different when we watch a game. We come away with differing impressions of who played well, who played badly, who started the punch-up and what should have been done differently. Similarly, we take different things from the season as a whole: a great try, stunning skill, the post-match singing in Paris. Saleborn33 looks back and tells us about his season...

What a season last season was! The expectation, in my eyes, was quite high. After winning the Guinness Premiership, I thought we retain the title. How wrong I was!!

I’m a season ticket holder (and been since I was 7) and, at 14, am proud to be one.

The season started well when we won 32-20, on the 9th September, against Northampton. We’d regained our winning habit, after losing against Leicester on the opening day of the season. We had a good victory down at Sixways when, according to the website, “Chris Bell and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe produced very good performances”. Then, a home game against Saracens. At first you’d think ‘ok’ - not easy, but we should win. At 26-9, I think we’ve won safely. However, with rugby, you should never say no! The final score was 34-26. Not convincing, but a victory is still a victory.

Next, the Premiership had two weeks rest whilst the EDF Energy Cup started. An aim at the beginning of the season was to win this. It would be a chance to see some of the youngsters/first team players not regularly picked, to see how they performed. Newcastle was a scrappy game and, eventually, we won 28-5. But, a star was born! Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe had impressed in previous games but, in this game, he began to prove why he was the best signing this season. Perhaps one of the best signings Philippe Saint Andre has made? Credit to him.

Next game, a supposedly easy win against Harlequins. But, once again, I was proven wrong! A 28-27 win. However, in my eyes, we should have done much better – although it was another opportunity to see some young stars play, like Sean Cox, and they shone.

Back to the Guinness Premiership and, to be honest, one of our best victories of the season against London Irish, 31-14. To score 4 tries for the first time in the season was really good. Winning four games on the trot appeared to have given us good momentum for our next game, in the Heineken Cup.

We started the campaign against Ospreys, losing 17-16. We conceded a try in the last seconds and it must have hurt the lads and coach. So, the next game against Calvisano was a chance to get our campaign back on track and we did so emphatically, 67-11. My favourite try was where Charlie passed it ‘All Black’ style through his legs! Simply great and, try wise, one of my best games at Edgeley Park. The one game of the season I always want Sale to win was next on the agenda. As long as we beat them at home that’s all I want; and we did. The final score, Sale 18 - London Wasps 12! Not a great night of rugby, but a win is a win.

The Autumn Internationals then took place, with Sale winning one out of the three games. The next game against Newcastle was just one of the worst I have ever seen! It made me so sad and angry because I knew we could do much better than that. But, due to the injuries and poor form, we just didn’t do very well.

The game against Harlequins was the first home game since the announcement that Charlie, Big Tam and Sherri were going to be out for the rest of the season. I was gutted! It’s great to see them nearly back to fitness. I hope they get picked for the World Cup but, in some ways, I’d rather see them play at Sale!

A win against Llanelli Scarlets would put us in the semis of the EDF Energy Cup. Again, it wasn’t convincing but we won (21-5) and we were on our way to Cardiff!!

The next games marked the halfway mark in the season - the double-header against Stade Francais. I watched the first game at Heywood Road. I thought it was a great game and to see Chabal score an interception try, and then collapse with cramp straight away, just made my day! The game at home was our chance for revenge. It was a busy day for me because, straight after the game, I had to be whisked off home to sing in a Concert. By the end of the day, I was shattered - but the result was a good one, with a 12-6 win.

Two losses ended the year for Sale, against Bath (16-18) and Newcastle (25-40).

1st January 2007: I thought “New year, new start” and, even though we appeared to be waving our title good bye, perhaps we could just win for pride. What did we do? Lose against Bristol, 10-6. You know what I did when I saw that ‘muppet’ kick across field? Sit down and cry! I knew we could do so much better than that performance. I even proclaimed that I wouldn’t go to the next game, but I went back on that and was so pleased I went. It wasn’t just the win which made me happy; it was the fact we came from 3-16 down against Gloucester to win 20-19. It showed that we could perhaps get our season back on track. The next game was against Calvisano, on the 13th January. Winning this game 29-11 gave us a slim, but mathematical, chance of getting through to the Heineken Cup quarter finals. However, this was the last game that we won for a while - we lost the next six and didn’t win again until the 13th April.

Our next game at home was seeing “Mr Orange” as I call him (Gavin Henson to those who don’t know who I mean!) and his team, Ospreys. We lost (!) 7-18 but, again, an outstanding player was ‘Corcho’ who cleverly, with the rest of the forwards, worked a try. He just gave a great performance. For the next few games we were without our 6-Nations stars and we lost against Gloucester, Wasps, Irish and Sarries. The next game was a home debut, against Worcester, for a ‘Juju’ - the 42nd player to play for us this season! We lost 18-12. When I got home I said to my Mum that I’d got used to the losing feeling! A game against Northampton got us a draw, which was something different (and better than a loss).

The EDF Semi-Final, at Cardiff, was a long day. It was one of the biggest games we would have this season. I got on the coach at 7am and we arrived in Cardiff at 1pm – having enough time to relax and see some of the City. We got in the stadium and it was just incredible. I’ve never been there before. My brother and cousin had blue eyebrows and hair. My other cousin and I were in the ‘jester’ hats – all ready for a Sale win. Eventually, a Sale loss (19-29) but we played better and it was great to see Cardiff for the first time. Hopefully, one day, we will be back!! The best point was that my brother, cousins and I were photographed for the Stockport Express … I was famous!

On the 2nd April it was announced that Jason Robinson would retire. I was gutted. It was a real shame and I do feel that he could have played for another season. He announced that his last game of club rugby would be against Bath. I looked forward to that game like a Leicester game (we lost the Leicester game 25-26 and it was typical that we were so close to a win, but blow it!).

For the Bath game I wore my Jason Robinson T-shirt - the white one (I have both!). We went expecting a Sale win, with Jason getting on the score sheet. I get both predictions right! It was an emotional night and, when we were losing; my Dad said to the guy next to him that Robinson would score a try in the last minute. Boy was he right! The next day was the Grand National … I was told to listen to my Dad! It was simply great and a perfect ending for a truly phenomenal player.

The last game of the season was really a test to see how the youngsters could manage. After all, we will have to use them when we lose our World Cup players to their countries. It was a disappointing loss (49-0) and I expect that PSA gave them a right ‘talking to’ afterwards!

My final overview of the season? Yes, it was disappointing compared to last season. We can’t just blame the injuries. We also have to blame the players’ poor form. Next season we will come back fighting - determined to win the title back. My player of the season, if you hadn’t guessed, was ‘Corcho’. He has simply been amazing. My young players of the year were Eiffion (his nickname, ‘The Fridge’!), Sean Cox and ‘Pop Idol’ (Ben Foden). All three players, when they had the opportunity, took their chance and performed brilliantly. I would like to thank Titts, Larry, Mark Taylor, Barry, John Bryant, Ben Lloyd, Martin Halsall, Chris Leck and Mark Nelson for all their hard work and wish them ‘good luck’. I’d like to welcome Rory, Scott, Beniot, Juju (officially) and Rudi to the club. Perhaps we’ll have some more signings soon?! Let’s look forward to next season …