The business end of the season has finally arrived, with Premiership semi-final match ups to be decided. None more heavy weight or closer to call than Sale v Leicester. But for me, there is only one winner, Sale is heading to Twickenhamon the 27 May.
This may be hopeful thinking from as a Sharks fan who has pre-emptively bought a ticket for the final… but I have long backed the Sharks to get this far from the outset.
Heading into this match Sale are the more settled side, with a fully fit squad and a very cohesive team. Sanderson has made it a trait of the campaign this year to minimise changes and rewarding those in form.
The brilliant Gus Warr having kept out the fit again Quirke in the last few weeks, while Ford had to earn his ten jersey after Sanderson slowly moved the exceptional Du Preez to 13.
There is no surprise to this unique cohesiveness, with a side featuring three sets of siblings, James brothers, Curry twins and the three South African Du Preezs. These eight players have formed a large core of the side and will do so in the run in, you can tell from the side line that they’re a tight knit group.
But what has provided crucial as well as surprising to Sale fortunes this year is not their star players in Ford, Tuliagi, Quirke, Rodd and Tom Curry lighting up the side. But rather their quietly outstanding underlings, Du Preez, Sam James, Ben Curry, Aaron Reed, Gus Warr and Simon McIntyre. These are the men who’ve played the biggest role in getting Sale to second in the league and they deserve the chance to get the team the whole way for the first time since 2007.
As ever, Leicester pose a significant threat but away from home they are much weaker, Sale trounced them 40-5 when they welcomed them in December, albeit with a weakened Tigers side.
But Tigers are on a rich vain of form, having been sat 8th at the turn of the year they have strung together 7 consecutive win before the dead rubber loss against Quins last week.
Pollard has been exceptional since January, as has Premiership player of the year nominee Jasper Weise who is part of a very enviable and dangerous back row alongside Reffell and Liebenberg. The Currys and the departing Jono Ross will have to bring the fire power to combat Tigers biggest threat.
Sanderson has been on a long journey with this squad. The team is perfectly balanced, highly motivated, and well drilled. They are just two more performances away before the elusive title. Sale certainly have the ability to beat both Tigers and Sarries, its just up to them to prove it. Sanderson will be doing his best to play down expectations but ultimately its Sales title to lose.
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