[SSR]

Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but saw this on another list...

Anyone who provided players to the Lions or have internationals are in the merde. Per Charlie Morgan at The Telegraph:
"Lions tourists are back for third round of the Premiership - with England squad members missing the round before the autumn internationals too. England internationals who went on the Argentina tour can play in round one of the Premiership but not before (ie not in the Premiership Cup)"

Seems we might be be having a hard time at the start of the season, if our England boys can't
get some warm up games?

[RinTin]

So we don't have Rodd, LCD, Asher, BC, TC, Ford, Roebuck and Carpenter available? Well that's just wonderful.

[RinTin]

Just seen that Farrell and Daly are in the Sarries pre season squad in Durban for a warm up match. Are friendlies excluded?

[Altishark2222]

According to Men’s Professional Rugby Board: Player Load Management Group Update
The group has agreed that all players will be mandated to have 10 weeks off before starting the new season, so any player who goes on the Lions Tour will not be available for the first two rounds of the Premiership and any player who goes on tour with England to the USA and Argentina will be available from round 1 of the Premiership but not available to play in the Premiership Cup prior to that.

[Yareet]

Just seen that Farrell and Daly are in the Sarries pre season squad in Durban for a warm up match. Are friendlies excluded?

Looking at Sarries site (so nobody else had to), it’s a mini tour with a fans at the end. I can’t see Daly playing yet after his arm break so I’d imagine both are there for the “big emphasis on social capital” and the “strong community focus”.

[RinTin]

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/gallaghe ... le-sharks/

I feel this is very generous from Rugbypass.

[SSR]

We are blessed with some abundance in some positions, but it will be seriously impacted when we lose the internationals . Injuries will be our Achilles Heel.

[Bucks1861]

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/tom-curry/

An update on Tom,

but also

“ the future of Le Roux Roets is unclear. The South African has been dogged by knee issues and, latterly, a disc problem in his back, and hasn’t played for the club in the past 10 months. He is believed to be back in his homeland at the moment.

Sale haven’t recruited any specialist locks this summer, but Sanderson has ruled out any last-minute moves, highlighting the fact that Ernst van Rhyn and new signing Jacques Vermeulen have all stepped up into the second row before.

[RinTin]

Just finished reading it myself - fantastic article.

Very interesting that a third party has pointed out the key thing we have been harping on about for months and months. Second row depth and where is LRR.

If LRR is back in SA and is injured still then surely we can draft in someone else for injury cover. The whole thing makes no sense to me.

Axe says he has faith in the locks we have and wants to go for hybrid forwards like Tigers. Vermeulen and Van Rhyn name checked as the other second row options alongside Andrews, Burrow and Bamber.

[Olyy]

Axe knows more than us, but i'm still concerned about Vermeulen being a lock option - if you look at the games he's worn 19 for Chiefs he came on in the backrow with someone else shifting into the second row. As far as All.Rugby is concerned he's never played there at pro level


Considering how much we've leant on the maul in the past you'd have thought we'd be doing the opposite: having locks who can fill in in the backrow rather than backrowers who can fill in in the second row
You'd have thought we'd want some real set piece specialists

[RinTin]

Instead of bringing in specialists he's looking to create them. Vermeulen and EVR have the height for the row (didn't realise how tall Vermeulen was). I would want to see Vermeulen as a dedicated option there for the first few games to give him that exposure and minutes in that role.

[poyntonshark]

Can't see you getting that with TC out till December. Vermeulen will surely be first choice 6 to start the season with Ernst in the Row. Not beyond the realms of possibility to swap them around, but I wouldn't put my house on it.

[Yareet]

Can't see you getting that with TC out till December. Vermeulen will surely be first choice 6 to start the season with Ernst in the Row. Not beyond the realms of possibility to swap them around, but I wouldn't put my house on it.

I think Ben ended up at 6 v USA. Could we have him and Dugdale as the flankers?

[RinTin]

Dugdale has lots of experience at 6 too.

I would hope to see us use the left-right flank system like many French teams. With double Curry, or Curry Vermeulen, Curry Dugdale, it certainly makes sense. Our only dedicated blindside (in the traditional sense) is EVR.

We have plenty of back row options. Tom Curry being out does not mean Jacques is needed there. If Axe wasn't mis quoted, and actually does view him as a tighthead row, he needs to get him minutes there.

[poyntonshark]

I had forgotten Dugdale. Of course neither Curry will be available for first couple of games.

[Elgar]

Agree with @RinTin 's last couple of posts on this.

Having both Currys or a Curry and a Dugdale or even a Woodman on each flank would give us the multiple jackal threat that I think we always look better with.

I don't worry about Vermeulen's ability to fit our system from lock (we did the same with Beaumont, JLDP and Van Rhyn to great effect)). Only his injury record.

I don't worry too much about lock depth, though it's obviously not perfect. I think Andrews has been underrated for us and Bamber and Burrow both need to be given full opportunity to hit their very high ceilings asap.

[Dave L]

I had forgotten Dugdale. Of course neither Curry will be available for first couple of games.

On the new episode of the Shark Tank podcast they were speculating that the coaching team see Sam Dugdale as a back up Number 8 for this season.

Has he got the heft?

[RinTin]

Back up to DDP? Or back up to the actual number 8's like Vermeulen and Birch as well? Tom Curry has packed down at 8 quite a bit too.

Dugdale listed on our website as only 1kg lighter than Birch but quite a bit shorter. 104kgs is light for an 8, but look at Kwagga Smith and Ardie Savea as examples of lighter guys smashing it in that role (appreciate they are top notch players).

[Yareet]

Back up to DDP? Or back up to the actual number 8's like Vermeulen and Birch as well? Tom Curry has packed down at 8 quite a bit too.

Dugdale listed on our website as only 1kg lighter than Birch but quite a bit shorter. 104kgs is light for an 8, but look at Kwagga Smith and Ardie Savea as examples of lighter guys smashing it in that role (appreciate they are top notch players).

In recent england/lions games we’ve seen Ben Earl and Henry Pollock at 8. Earl is listed as 106.5kg; Pollock as 100kg.

There is something of a movement to smaller, lighter 8s

[RinTin]

I'm not going to get to carried away there given none of the names mentioned (inc Ardie and Kwagga) are locked in 8's playing there week in week out. I'd argue it just shows the drive for more versatility from back rowers.

[poyntonshark]

You would have thought that Dugdale would at least be behind Vermeulen (unless the Row change is to happen), I'm confused as to the status of Birch, then there's Logan, apparently highly regarded, but has yet to properly break into senior Rugby. The when fit you would expect both Curries to be used at 8 before Dugdale.

[Olyy]

Logan is very young tbf, only turned 20 over the summer

[RinTin]

Watching the RB Quins game - good game.

Commentators just mentioned that Steve Diamond has wanted Amanaki Mafi for a long time, and that he tried to sign him 5 years in a row at Sale. Would have loved that.

[man on a bike]

The player listing on the Sale website has been updated very recently ( although still a lot of information -such as heights and weights-missing). LRR a notable absentee from the listing. Presumably he is now 'off the books'?. Strange that this hasn't been mentioned officially by the club!!

[Bronzbronx]

The player listing on the Sale website has been updated very recently ( although still a lot of information -such as heights and weights-missing). LRR a notable absentee from the listing. Presumably he is now 'off the books'?. Strange that this hasn't been mentioned officially by the club!!

Good that's it been updated, when I view it on phone the players faces are all clipped off until you click on each player
Hope this is just my my issue and not poor work from the webteam

[JohnJ of HM]

Fissler has us interested in Max Ojomoh

[Bucks1861]

Saw that. No real substance in his words though “ Quote”LOOKING”??


Sale Sharks are looking at England new boy Max Ojomoh, despite him being under contract to Premiership champions Bath until the summer of 2027.

The 25-year-old inside centre, who also plays at outside centre, fly-half and winger, made his England debut against the USA in the summer and was a key player for Bath last season.

He scored tries in the Challenge Cup Final victory over Lyon and then the Premiership semi-final against Bristol Bears, and the final success over Leicester Tigers, which has won him fans with whispers that the Sharks are thought to be among them.”

[Elgar]

He's class. Who wouldn't want to sign him.

Can't see why he would leave Bath or they would let him go unless he is still on academy money and they've no cap room for him/his position.

[Flumpty]

Fissler has us interested in Max Ojomoh

Can he play 2nd row ?

[Olyy]

He's class. Who wouldn't want to sign him.

Can't see why he would leave Bath or they would let him go unless he is still on academy money and they've no cap room for him/his position.

Only reason I could think is if he's worried about gametime, with Redpath and Lawrence there - though they (and especially Redpath) are so injury prone I doubt it's really a factor
Likely just agent talk, or just slow news day meaning they've Google who's out of contract and then linked them with a move


On Bath's centre choices, though, they signed Chris Harris as injury cover for Ollie Lawrence, but Ollie Lawrence is back now, and Bath have said they're keeping Harries on too
Would love their accountant to take a look at my taxes