SALE SHARK S V SAR ACENS Friday 2 2nd December, KO: 19:45
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A WORD FROM THE A XE W E L C O M E B A C K T O T H E S A L F O R D S TA D I U M F O R A M A S S I V E F E S T I V E F I X T U R E A G A I N S T A C L U B , A N D A G R O U P O F P L AY E R S A N D C O A C H E S , T H AT I K N O W V E R Y W E L L . Any game against Saracens is big but it feels like there’s a bit more on this one. It’s the Christmas game, it’s a repeat of the final last season, it’s a chance for our lads to get the monkey off their backs, but most importantly, we’ve got a sell-out crowd and we want you all to come back. It’s huge and while outcomes of games like this shouldn’t define Christmas, I know that my bucks fizz and that first roast potato will taste so much sweeter on Christmas Day if we can get the performance and the win that we want tonight. Before I go on, can I extend a northern welcome and say Happy Christmas to Mark McCall, his Saracens players and coaches, and all the Saracens fans who have made the trip up at what I know is a really busy time for everyone. The last time we hosted Saracens at our place was a fantastic occasion and a great game and I have no doubt you’re in for a similar treat tonight. Obviously only time will tell, but I feel like we’re in a really good place after two good Champions Cup performances and one really great win. We’ve managed to rest everyone
ANY GAME AGAINST SARACENS IS BIG BUT IT FEELS LIKE THERE’S A BIT MORE ON THIS ONE. who is involved tonight and we’re feeling fresh and ready to go back into the Premiership. I’ve already mentioned the last time we played Saracens here at the Salford Stadium, but that wasn’t the last time we faced them. That was in the Premiership final in May and it was a day none of us associated with Sale Sharks will forget. I was
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asked this week if we – or I – had any regrets and truthfully, I do look back on that day with a sense of what might have been. I feel like we had them at the 60 minute mark and while loads of teams probably think that, we had big opportunities on their try line. I don’t feel like we showed the best of ourselves but we’re a young, developing team. Tonight’s game will be a really good gauge for us to show how far we’ve come with a similar group of players. Christmas is a strange time for professional sportsmen and women. The lads will get four days off over Christmas because it’s been a hard slog since the start of the season and this is the first chance we can give them a rest to freshen them up before we get back into Saints on the 30th. We go into this game top of the Gallagher Premiership and obviously that’s exactly where we want to be. So outcome-wise – and I know that’s how we’re judged from the outside – we’re going well. But in terms of our performance I feel like there’s loads more to come from us all. That’s actually really exciting isn’t it? I think we’ve only hit our top form in two games – Bristol and Stade – and both of those games came after a big loss. We need to be better in all areas of the game without need for a reaction to a defeat. As I said, we come into this game after two really good performances in the Champions Cup. We only came away with one win but I was chuffed with what the boys did against Leinster, in particular. We saw 19-year-olds going up against British and Irish Lions and more than holding their own and we had a team who was extremely
competitive against one of the world’s best teams. The lads came out with so much energy and momentum to take into tonight and for those younger players especially, the knowledge that they can go toe-to-toe with experienced internationals and handle that level of intensity will be massive for them. One of the big learnings from the game in Dublin was that making mistakes around the basic fundamentals of the game – like not winning a line-out five metres out – can have dire consequences against top quality opposition. The momentum swings that those mistakes can lead to are huge and I have no doubt that Saracens will punish us in the same way if our basics aren’t good enough. A game’s big moments turn on small hinges and we need to make sure we turn those big moments in our favour. If we can do that, we’re in for another special night and those pigs in blankets will taste all the sweeter for all of us come Monday. Lastly, I want to say a huge thank you for your support in the last 12 months. We’ve had plenty of highs and lows and everything in between. You’ve stuck with us and I hope that we’ve given you a team to be proud of. 2023 was pretty memorable but I’m confident that 2024 will be even better. So, from everyone at Sale Sharks, look after yourselves over this festive period, and have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thanks, Al 7
CHRISTMAS WITH THE DU PREZZIES IT WA S A LONG NINE WEEK S OUT FOR JE AN-LUC DU PREEZ AF TER A HAMSTRING TE AR FORCED HIM OFF IN THE G ALL AGHER PREMIERSHIP OPENER AG AINST NORTHAMP TON SAINTS . But absence made the heart grow fonder for the Springbok giant and when he got the nod to replace Rouban Birch in the second half of the Champions Cup game against Leinster, he was ready to make a big impact. Now, after an injury to twin brother Dan, JL is back in the starting XV and he’s got Saracens in his sights. “We don’t need too much motivation to put in a performance against Saracens,” he said. “They’re such a good team and we know that we need to be at our very best all over the field to get a result. “It was so good to get back out there last week and what a place to do it – away to Leinster in the RDS. I know we lost but there are some defeats where you know you didn’t turn up and it’s hard to take much from it, and there are some that almost feel like wins.
WE DON’T REALLY EAT TURKEY. IN FACT, MY FAVOURITE FOOD AT CHRISTMAS GROWING UP WAS BEEF TONGUE. 9
“That’s how it felt after Leinster. Obviously we were gutted not to win but the energy, the spirit and the quality that the boys showed was incredible. We got out of it everything that we wanted to set us up for a big night tonight. The effort was immense. “The energy and the spirit was the key thing going into that game and the focus for the early part of this week was along the same lines. Our theme for the week was the Christmas spirit and bringing the energy and physicality in everything we do. “In our team meeting Manu talked about how physicality is a mentality, and a choice, and I totally agree. But every single member of our squad has made that choice and we’re all ready to bring it. “I think it could be a really special night on Friday. It’s Christmas and we know how much a win would mean to everyone.” It’s been a strong start to the season for Your Sharks with six wins out of eight propelling Al’s men to the top of the Gallagher Premiership. But according to JL, there’s plenty more to come from this team. “Of course, we’re so happy to be top of the table, but I don’t feel like we’ve played as well as we can that often,” he added. “There’s so much more to come from this team and I don’t feel like we’ve reached our potential yet. “That’s actually exciting. I really think we’re ready to put in a big, full 80 minute performance against Saracens.”
After the Sarries game, the squad will take four days off to recharge the batteries and prepare for a big second half of the season. And there might be a bit of eating involved in the du Preez household as JL and older brother Rob take their families to JL’s twin brother Dan’s house for Christmas. “Christmas in South Africa is a bit different,” he added. “We don’t really eat turkey. In fact, my favourite food at Christmas growing up was beef tongue. My mum used to boil it and it was absolutely delicious.
Christmas. He loves to dabble in the kitchen and he’s pretty good on the BBQ but I think we’ll be staying inside this year. “The three of us all have very young children and they’re all at an age now when they can really understand and enjoy Christmas so I think it will be really special. I’m sure we’ll play a few games too. It will be perfect…..as long as we win on Friday!”
“I think Dan’s planning on cooking roast lamb and gammon as well this
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CAPTAIN (C)URRY HAPPY CHRISTMA S AND WELCOME BACK TO A VERY COLD AND WINDY SALFORD STADIUM . THIS IS ALWAYS A RE ALLY E XCITING TIME FOR THE PL AYERS BEC AUSE WHILE THE G AMES COME THICK AND FA ST, WE NORMALLY GET A BIT OF TIME OFF TOO. THIS YE AR WE ’ VE GOT FOUR DAYS OFF AND I RECKON THAT ’S THE MOST I ’ VE E VER HAD OFF. A Curry Christmas is nothing out of the ordinary. We’ll all get together as a family and my mum will definitely try and force us to play board games. I’m lucky in that I can generally eat whatever I want and it doesn’t really affect me so I’ll be tucking into turkey and all the trimmings. If anything, I could do with putting on a bit of weight! I’m sure my time off will involve a bit of time in the gym because we’ve got a really tough game coming up at Northampton on the 30th, but otherwise I’ll be enjoying some down time.
A CURRY CHRISTMAS IS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WE’LL ALL GET TOGETHER AS A FAMILY AND MY MUM WILL DEFINITELY TRY AND FORCE US TO PLAY BOARD GAMES. 13
Going into tonight’s game, I’m feeling really fresh. It’s been a tough first half of the season but it’s crazy what a weekend off does. I feel so much better! I watched the lads play against Leinster and I was so proud of the performance they put in. They really went after them and that has definitely motivated not just the lads who played, but the whole squad. The manner in which they played was fantastic and some lads who maybe haven’t had as many minutes as they’d have liked put in massive performances. Those last two tries showed what we’re all about as a group. They never gave in and even right at the end, when a lot of teams would have kicked the ball out, they kept going. Yep, we want to win every game, but that kind of performance gives the whole club a lift and we’re all buzzing to go again tonight, in front of a massive crowd.
Playing in front of a full house at the Salford Stadium is really special and it really does give us a lift. Our fans are the loudest in the league and when the stadium is packed it’s an amazing experience for us. Throw in the fact that it’s Christmas, and it’s Saracens, and it means tonight could be a really special night for everyone. Lastly, can I say on behalf of all the players, a big thank you for all your support during 2023. It’s been a brilliant year for us and I hope we’ve given you some fantastic memories too. So have a happy Christmas, a brilliant new year and here’s to an even better 2024. Enjoy the game, Ben
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CORPACQ STADIUM Sale Sharks Women are back in action on home turf on Saturday 6th January, taking on Saracens. All Sale Sharks season ticket holders and U16s get in for FREE, or you can pay on the door.
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FROM THE SHARK TANK I T ’ S T H E B I G O N E , A N D W H AT B E T T E R T I M E F O R I T T H A N A F R I DAY NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS! In a repeat of last year’s Twickenham final, and a repeat of some of the best occasions at the Salford Stadium over the last few years, we welcome Sarries to the north for what should be a corker of a game in front of a capacity crowd. We come into this game off the back of two positive performances in Europe – after toiling in the first half against Stade Francais, our endeavour and effort was rewarded with deserved tries in the second half in what was ultimately a comfortable victory. A great day for the defence too, with no points conceded in the second half, left us feeling in as good a shape as possible heading into a massive game away at Leinster.
let alone be ahead for the entire first half. The positivity and intent shown by the players was only matched by the travelling support as they roared on Connor Doherty under the posts, yet what was almost more impressive was the workrate and effort around the pitch to repel and disrupt Leinster. Some superhuman performances went in, with a particular shoutout to Ross Harrison, who from where we were sitting seemed to hit every tackle. There were too many individual contributions to name them
Dublin, for those of you who were there, was not what we expected. Whether you made the journey over the Irish Sea or not, no amount of Sale bias, optimism or Guinness could distract from the fact that this was one of our toughest tests of recent years. Written off by everyone from journalists to opposition fans, including some less than kind previews in certain Irish papers, it’s safe to say that very few people expected Sale to be winning at any point in this game,
all, but particular praise for some of the young players who shone on the biggest stage - Tumy, Asher and Ben Bamber make the future look in safe hands. And of course, Arron Reed is electric. Just ridiculous.
We hope then that our boys can send us into the festive celebrations with a win, but whatever happens we hope everyone has a great Christmas and New Year, and look forward to more Sharks success in 2024!
We turn back to the Prem then with a lot of optimism and a huge game at home to a team who we know will be in the mix for the title come the end of the season. Sitting at the top of an incredibly tight table, this is a huge opportunity for us to put some distance between us and one of our big rivals for a playoff and home semifinal spot. As we know with Sarries, it is never an easy task and will require all the heart and fight shown in Leinster as well as some of the magic we saw there too.
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F O R W A R D S
YOUR SHARKS
WILL AUSTIN
BEN BAMBER
JOSH BEAUMONT
PATREECE BELL
ROUBAN BIRCH
TOM BURROW
ETHAN CAINE
ELLIS CAUSEY
FRANK CHATTERTON
LUKE COWAN-DICKIE
AGUSTIN CREEVY
BEN CURRY
TOM CURRY
HUW DAVIES
DAN DU PREEZ
JEAN-LUC DU PREEZ
SAM DUGDALE
TOM ELLIS
CAL FORD
ALEX GROVES
JAMES HARPER
ROSS HARRISON
JONNY HILL
JOE JONES
RALPH M c EACHRAN
SIMON MCINTYRE
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TYE RAYMONT
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BEVAN RODD
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HARRY THOMPSON
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B A C K S
ERNST VAN RHYN
JOE BEDLOW
SAM BEDLOW
ALBERT BRADSHAW
JOE CARPENTER
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