Third Time Lucky?

By Chris Chaplin
February 4 2004

As Tigers try for the third time this season to overcome Sale there are some similarities between the two clubs. Both Sale and Tigers are out of the European Cup after failing to make their respective ways out of the pool stages.Both have significant injury lists.

Sale still has a question mark over the future of coach Jim Mallinder although in Tigers case Dean Richards has departed and a new collegiate arrangement is in place for the time being. Both clubs are to within a couple of places of each other in the league.

Sadly for Tigers Sale are twelve points away in their seventh spot on 36 points equal on points with Quins, London Irish and Gloucester with Falcons on 32 points providing the meat in the sandwich between the North West side and Tigers in ninth with just 24 points and level with Sarries.

With London Irish perhaps not favourite for the points in their away fixture at Leeds a victory for Sale would enable them to advance up the table, so another important game for the Edgeley Park based side.

Tigers have a mountain to climb to get to secure a place in the Wildcard, which is their only realistic chance of qualifying for the European Cup next year, but with Falcons unlikely to pick up much at Kingsholm a victory for Tigers this Friday would enable them to reduce the gap to Newcastle to three or four points which has to be the initial objective for the fallen multiple champions of England and Europe.

Tigers will also have an eye in their rear view mirror as Sarries visit Quins where a win for them and a loss for Tigers could see Tigers firmly in tenth spot.

So all to play for and with the mid table being so close a slip up now could be fatal for the prospects of HEC rugby in 2004/5 for either side but most especially for Tigers.

Sale would have been disappointed with their showing at a soggy Arms Park when they lost 22 - 7 to Cardiff as their European adventure came to a premature end for the second consecutive season although to be fair it was something of a dead rubber with only the ignominy of the pool wooden spoon being up for grabs.

Understandably then Jim Mallinder husbanded his resources with an eye on this weeks encounter with the grievously wounded Tiger which as Ulster found out still has teeth when it chooses to use them.

The extent of this strategy can be seen when it is considered that Sale, usually prolific try scorers, crossed the whitewash just once with stand in hooker and ex Quin Johnny Roddam being the hero of the hour.

It has often been commented how much better the Sale scrum has been this year and this has surely been in no small part due to the excellent signing of ex Bristol player Andrew Sheridan who has brought bulk and technique to the Sale front row. Sheridan is one of the current crop of injuries being endured by the team together, presumably, with the otherwise enforced absence of the excellent and supremely mobile Titterell.

As a consequence Roddam was joined by Scottish International Barry Stewart and veteran Stuart Turner down in Cardiff with both props getting close to scoring.

Assuming that injuries do not abate this looks to be the strongest front row available to departing forwards coach Steve Diamond with only the Yellow Card prone Kevin Yates a potential starting substitute.

With the talented Scot Iain Fullaton counted out youngster Christian Day started alongside regular lock Dean Schofield the temptation to move Chris Jones forward being resisted, which is hardly surprising given the fine job he’s made of being at 8 and of course he continues to be a massive threat at the line out..

I expect to see the same pairing at lock on Friday but that unlike the staring line up at Cardiff we shall see a back row of Sanderson, Jones and that superb Scottish World Cup player, ball carrier par excellence, Jason White.

I am sure that the Sale coaches and players studied the Tigers match against Stade Francais and were heartened how the Stade pack out played the Tigers eight in almost every department even though Tigers weighed in with a seven stone advantage.

I have been impressed with the Sale rolling maul and pick and drive this season with both manoeuvers being carried out with speed and precision, the attackers getting into position quickly with their body angles being just right so I see this as an area of risk for Tigers as it was against Stade.

Sale have been hard hit by injury at half back with both Bryan Redpath and Charlie Hodgeson both seemingly long term absentees and Nick Walshe also out at the moment. Although young Richard Wigglesworth acquitted himself well when he deputised for Redpath during the Scots’ absence at the World Cup the experience and startling talent of Redpath will be sorely missed and all the more so as his absence once again coincides with that of Hodgeson who’s knee is becoming as famous as Wilkinson’s shoulder.

Jos Baxendell again stepped up at fly-half and in him Sale have plenty of experience, the ability to kick well from hand and a player with a good eye for opportunities to break the gain line and get his backs into play. That said to lose the best half back combination in the league is a grievous blow. In the wings though is American Eagle Mike Hercus who could well get his first start against Tigers having apparently played well in a recent development game against Rotherham where the Jets won by a single point.

When Baxendell had to step into the breach last season place kicking was clearly not his greatest talent and it became a real Achilles Heel for Sale. This year the astute signing of ex Springbok Braam vanStraaten has solved this particular problem. However while the South African can score goals from all parts and from extreme distances, is a fine robust defender in the best traditions of his countrymen he does not bring too much to the party in a creative sense and together with the reserve half-back pairing this could be an area of opportunity for Tigers. Whether Hercus is able to fill van Straaten’s kicking boots so as to perhaps enable Baxendell to bring some more creativity to the midfield remains to be seen.

Graeme Bond did not feature against Cardiff with ex Wigan Rugby League centre Chris Mayor stepping in. If fit I expect to see the Wallaby start and cause his usual havoc.

Cueto is another injured party and while youngster James Hoyle got the berth against Cardiff I rather expect to see Jason Robinson out on the wing on Friday with Hanley retained on the left and Going at full back. This would be a very tricky back three with the bulk and power of Hanley being in counterpoint but complimentary to the mazy running skills and pace of his two partners and if Bond can cut them loose we could see some fireworks.

Before this can happen of course the Sale back division have got to have the ball and it is here that the big question mark exists. Can the Sale pack and their half-back combination secure enough good quality possession?

Well the end of one era at Tigers occurred on Monday and on Friday at Edgeley Park is the beginning of the next.

With the new team management triumvirate of Johnno, Backy and Wells it is of course difficult to know what the mindset will be as to the Friday team but I can only hope that the somewhat esoteric selections in the backs that we’ve become used to seeing will be consigned to the dustbin of time.

By the time this is published I expect the new structure to have been formalised and that Johnno will be back as captain with John Wells and Neil Back heading up the coaching aspect of the new collective.

As Julian White is not expected back just yet then the settled combination of Rowntree, West and the continually improving Darren Morris should surely continue and it’s hard to see them giving any ground to the Sale trio, especially in the tight.

I guess the locks pretty much select themselves and I think that provided that there is no repeat of the speculative throwing to the back of the line that we’ve seen of late Johnno and Kay should have the better of the likely Sale duo although a weather eye will need to be kept firmly fixed on the activities of Jason White and Chris Jones who will cause real problems with any turnover ball.

The Tigers tight five looks stable, experienced and likely to dominate the Sale quintet especially with the internecine domestic travails of the past few weeks at Welford Road now firmly behind them.

I am less convinced about the back-row as it has manifested itself of late and rather suspect that a back row of Will Johnson, Neil Back and Martin Corry could be preferred although Henry T. was finally making headway when he was replaced late on against Stade and that this could, with Lewis Moody apparently out for a further 4/6 weeks, become the staple with the previously out of favour Adam Balding making an appearance as well..

The Tigers back-row will have to be on their mettle against the very impressive Sale line up and afford our half-backs plenty of protection.

All in all though I think we’ll see the Tigers’ eight back to their best and with Dean Richards reportedly having cleared his desk last Friday their demeanour against Stade is understandable.

Ellis continues to impress and even behind a beaten scrum last week I thought he did pretty well and he’ll surely continue the good work.

The fly-half question takes another twist and as this is one of the rocks upon which the good ship Deano undoubtedly foundered the unraveling of this particular long running saga will be especially poignant.

I anticipate that Andy Goode will return. His kicking strike rate is pretty much the same as that of Pez. Pez may have a bit more pace but then again defensively Goode looks the sounder. Both wear their hearts on their sleeves and like many, if not most, fly-halves they are both confidence players and perhaps it is this factor which will see Goode get the nod at 10 and Jaco return to full-back.

At centre I understand that Daryl Gibson is rated as only possible for Friday so if this is the case I expect to see the splendid Glenn Gelderbloom continue the good work that we’ve seen from him of late. It is to be hoped against hope of course that Ollie Smith will be back in position to try and cope with Bond and make his own mark.

On the wings with Oz and Geordan only rated as possible I rather hope that Leon will get back to doing what he does best and with Baxter apparently not feeling himself to be quite ready have Steve Booth to partner him in the back three with Jaco. I cannot imagine that Fred will be risked against Robinson, Going and Hanley after his spate of missed tackles in recent games.

So will this be the Tiger bounce after the disappointment of Stade and the trauma of Deano’s departure?

Sale are at home it’s true but Edgeley Park seems yet to have found a place in the hearts of the Sale faithful and is far from being a fortress. They have injuries and absences of key players in the pack and amongst the backs but they still have some very talented and dangerous players not least new signing Mike Hercus.

Somehow though I think that we’ll see Tigers throw off the shackles which they seem to have been wearing for the most part of the last couple of years and secure an unlikely away win.

Now wouldn’t that be a great start to the new era and you know I really believe that they can do it!