MATCHDAY PROGRAMME | Sale Sharks v Stade Francais by salesharks

SALE SHARK S V STADE FR ANÇ AIS PARIS Sunday 10 th December, KO: 13:00

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A warm welcome to this Round 1 match in the 2023/24 Investec Champions Cup. This promises to be a compelling 29th season as we acknowledge the landmark addition of Investec to our suite of blue-chip sponsors as tournament title partner. We are certain that the long-term support of the leading international bank and wealth manager will serve to enhance a tournament which is widely regarded as the pinnacle of global club cup rugby. In further hugely positive developments, the brewing giant, Heineken, are continuing their historic association with the competition as a premium partner, DHL have renewed their long-standing partnership with EPCR and Georgia Rugby Marketing Hub have come on board as an official partner as we continue to expand our footprint into new markets. We can also look forward to 24 elite clubs, with 40 EPCR titles between them, battling it out initially over four rounds in a multi-pool format, and then four knockout stages, as all roads lead to the London 2024 Finals which will be staged at the state-ofthe-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 May next year. We are delighted to be joined on the journey to London by Investec, by Heineken, and by our official partners, DHL, IHG Hotels & Resorts

and Georgia Rugby Marketing Hub, as well as our official supporters, Tissot, Gilbert and Kappa, and also by our official airline partner in South Africa, Qatar Airways. TNT Sports, ITV and RTÉ in the UK and Ireland, beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions in France, and SuperSport in South Africa, will continue to provide comprehensive and innovative broadcast coverage, while S4C in Wales and FloRugby in the USA and Canada will showcase the matches to even more viewers. To our world-class players who continue to create so many unforgettable moments, to the staff of the competing clubs, to the match officials, to the fans, to the media and to all our stakeholders, we wish everyone a truly memorable Investec Champions Cup season. Yours in rugby, Dominic McKay EPCR Chairman

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Welcome We are so proud to be the new partner of the Investec Champions Cup. After a thrilling World Cup, everyone’s expectations are justifiably high on this first weekend of what promises to be a really exciting six months. Like you, we’re looking forward to watching many of the biggest names in world rugby put in exhilarating, high intensity performances, qualities we admire and share. Today’s match is the first step on a journey that offers the enthralling prospect of some of the best rugby ever played, with all 24 teams in with a shout. Enjoy the game!

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A WORD FROM THE A XE WELCOME BACK TO THE SALFORD STADIUM FOR THE START OF OUR INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP JOURNE Y AND THE VISIT OF STADE FR ANC AIS . Everyone knows we’ve been handed a tough draw and I know there are plenty of people suggesting that we’ll be the whipping boys of our pool. From our perspective that’s a really nice place to be when it comes to motivating a group. Being the underdog is what we know and what we relish and if people want to write us off, that suits us just fine. It’s a massive chance for us for us to see how we stack up against the very best and if that doesn’t get the juices going then you’re in the wrong game. I speak every year about how much I love the Champions Cup. We get to play the biggest teams, in front of the biggest crowds, and it’s as close as you can get to international rugby. Aside from the magnitude of the games and the competition, places like Cape Town and Dublin are fantastic cities to visit and these experiences will be massive for our young group. But we know the home games are going to be massive for us and to progress in the competition we’re going to have to win them. Then you try and steal points in the away games and put a few noses out of joint along the way.

BEING THE UNDERDOG IS WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE RELISH AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO WRITE US OFF, THAT SUITS US JUST FINE. We don’t have a great record against French teams over the past few years and it’s something we want to turn the tide on. We’ve had some

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big games since I’ve been here and come out on the wrong side of close games. I’m thinking of a quarter-final against Racing and games last year against Toulouse. They’ve been tight and there’s been nothing in them until a bit of skill or a moment has taken the game away from us. We have shown we can compete but maybe we haven’t managed to do it for 80 minutes. In this competition, and in this game, we know we need to start quickly because it’s tough to claw back points against really good teams. And that’s what we face today – a really good team. Stade are unbelievably good but they’re not typically a side who play with that French, transitional flair. They’re a really physical team, with a big pack, a good set piece, their jackal threat is huge and while they rotate a lot, we have seen patterns and styles of play. There are certain aspects of their play that have all the hallmarks of a Paul Gustard team. The influence of my old Saracens mate is all over them and while we’re expecting a huge challenge, it’s also a massive chance for us to show off what’s great about northern rugby. We’ve made a decent start in the Gallagher Premiership and we want that momentum to continue in the Champions Cup. We’re not just a flash in the pan – this team is here to stay. That said, we had a really disappointing result away at Harlequins last Friday but I back this group of players and coaches to put it right. The backlash, I hope, comes by way of growth over the rest of the season. It’s not just about a reaction this weekend otherwise we become one of those teams that ebbs and flows. The reaction I want is in a

consistent level of performance from everyone between now and June, not just a spike when we get a bad result. The result and the performance last week came down to mentality. One hundred per cent mentality. When I look back at the Quins game and the Exeter game, there are similarities in the way the training week was compromised. I took some loading off them last week and as a result, we didn’t train at the intensity that we needed to, to make sure we were ready for the challenge that Quins brought. That’s on me, not the lads. Our two big training days this week have been two of the most enjoyable days I’ve had in the last few months because we’ve got back to coaching and we’ve seen people step up and grow. Of course, getting some of our big players fit again has been key to that. JL du Preez is probably another week or so away but Manu Tuilagi is ready to go this weekend. Manu has been chomping at the bit to get back in and we’re buzzing to have him back. He’s more enthusiastic than most of the 20-year-olds we’ve got and I’ve spoken plenty of times about the influence he has and the energy he brings to the group. He’s absolutely loving playing and training at the moment and he’s bounced around this week looking like he’s ten years younger than he is. We know we’ve got massive challenge on our hands this weekend but we’re all well up for it. Enjoy the game, Al

SI MAC: WE’RE UP FOR THE STADE CHALLENGE IT ’S BEEN A WEEK FULL OF REFLECTION FOR YOUR SHARK S FOLLOWING A DISAPPOINTING RESULT AND PERFORMANCE L A ST FRIDAY AT THE STOOP. AL’S MEN WERE SECOND BEST ALL OVER THE PITCH BUT A HUMBLING 36 -3 DEFE AT WA SN ’ T WITHOUT ITS POSITIVES . The Sharks scrum dominated a powerful Quins pack and at the heart of that setpiece effort was Si McIntyre. Now the 32-year-old has his sights set on Stade Francais and getting Sale’s Investec Champions Cup campaign off to a flying start. “We’ve had a lot of really honest conversations this week about what went wrong on Friday night,” he said. “We talked about our standards and what we strive to live by as a team and I think it was there for everyone to see on Friday night, that it wasn’t good enough. The first part of coming to terms with a result like that is to take ownership of it and we’ve done that. “One defeat doesn’t mean we’re a bad team but it shows that we can’t just turn up and expect to perform and win. This game is so emotional and it does take a toll on us, and sometimes the feeling after a game can be a bit disjointed from the reality. But I think the way we feel this week about Friday

ONE DEFEAT DOESN’T MEAN WE’RE A BAD TEAM BUT IT SHOWS THAT WE CAN’T JUST TURN UP AND EXPECT TO PERFORM AND WIN 13

is pretty in tune with what happened. We’re really disappointed and frustrated but it’s within our grasp to turn it around. We can’t brush it under the carpet but we are top of the league because we’re a good and it’s important to remember that.” One bright spark on Friday came in the form of a cameo from 19-yearold prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour. The former Wasps academy man’s performance even brought a name check on TNT Sports from opposite number, and England veteran, Joe Marler. “Quins are a really good set piece team and although we didn’t quite get our maul right, the scrum went pretty well for us and we had dominance throughout,” Si said. “It was really pleasing to see Asher come in a perform so well. He won a penalty against one of the starting England

props in his first scrum so that’s not a bad way to announce yourself. “It’s extremely difficult for a young prop. There’s a lot of process for them to learn and because he hasn’t played for the first team much, I’m sure there was a lot going through his head. But we know he’s so talented and I think he did well just to simplify it and make his job as basic as possible. It’s testament to his temperament and his thought processes that he was able to block out all the noise and stay in the moment. “I try and support the young props but I’m not the only one. We’re blessed in this squad to have a lot of experienced players who have

played in different environments and have different philosophies and outlooks. It’s a group thing and we all try and share our experience and knowledge with the young lads, and credit to them, they want to learn.” After this weekend’s game against Stade Francais, Your Sharks will face Irish province Leinster, South African side the Stormers, and French giants La Rochelle in a Champions Cup group dubbed the ‘Group of Death.’ But according to Si Mac, these are the challenges that players relish. “The Champions Cup is really special and in this pool stage we’re going to go to some fantastic places and test ourselves against the very best,” he added. “It’s a change in competition this weekend but our approach doesn’t really change.

“Stade Francais are a really good team and they’re having a good season. We’ve seen some of their games and they’re a class outfit but that’s the nature of this competition and of our pool. I know a lot of people think this is a really hard pool for us to be in, but as players, we’re absolutely buzzing. “Our careers are finite and these games and experiences are so precious. These are the best teams in Europe and it’s a massive challenge for us and a chance to see where we are as a group. “We might be the underdogs but we’ll let others do the talking. We’ll just get on with our business and we’re quietly confident that we’ll be more than a match for anyone.”

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FROM THE SHARK TANK G O O D BY E P R E M I E R S H I P, B O N J O U R E U R O P E ! W E ’ V E B E E N E AG E R LY AWA I T I N G T H E F I R S T G A M E I N T H E S E L F -A N O I N T E D “ G R O U P O F D E AT H ” A N D W H AT B E T T E R WAY T O S TA R T T H A N AT H O M E I N F R O N T O F A L O U D A N D P R O U D N O R T H E R N C R OW D. Long gone are the days of dreading these games being a cricket score, as this team has shown its ability to perform in big games over the last couple of seasons and we’re looking forward to high quality rugby from both sides. Recent form in the Premiership has been mixed (they said generously). Last time out here in Salford we squeaked past a tenacious Bath side thanks to George Ford’s boot, overcoming the dual enemies that game of our own inaccuracy and Bath’s worldclass timewasting. That left us top of the table and heading into a Friday night game a week later against an inconsistent Quins side, with a chance to extend our lead at the top.

hammerings, which is a cause of mild concern for us (especially with Leinster away next week), but we’ll move on into this game and try and put that particular game well out of our minds. We welcome one of Europe’s old giants today in Stade Francais, they of the funky kits, who have had a good start to the season sitting 5th in the table and only two points off being the top of the Top 14. Coming off their own away hammering

Unfortunately, the less said about last Friday night the better – coming away with a measly three points, a bit of a scrap and nothing else to show for it is not ideal. Getting battered by Quins, knowing their fans, is also not ideal. It’s another defeat this season to write off in the way we have the Exeter game, albeit that’s no consolation to the hardy Sharks fans who travelled down to the Stoop to watch it. We seem to be becoming specialists in away

two weeks ago to Pau, this team had a statement 27-12 win at home over another team of European giants in Toulouse. The French league is so strong that any team that compete in it are going to be a tough test, and this Stade team have a blend of French talent and international experience that is going to make this a tough, but hopefully exciting, match up on the pitch.

even more intimidating, so make sure you are shouting at the top of your voice for Sale today and we’ll hope to see a great performance and get ourselves off to a winning start in the Group of Death! Enjoy the game, Alex, James and Lewis

Of course, we have a few of our own homegrown stars and plenty of international talent to call on, and we’re a team that has been able to grind out wins in big games at home this season. Add to that the fact that the Bath game saw us go undefeated in our last 11 Premiership home games, and it makes this stadium an intimidating place for teams to come. It’s our job in the stands to make it

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SHARKS SUPPORT CHRISTMAS TOY APPEAL S A L E S H A R K S H AV E T E A M E D U P W I T H T H E T OY A P P E A L C H A R I T Y O N C E AG A I N T O M A K E S U R E K I D S I N S O M E O F T H E M O S T D E P R I V E D A R E A S O F T H E N O R T H W E S T H AV E T OYS T O P L AY W I T H T H I S C H R I S T M A S . The Cheshire-based Toy Appeal charity was set up in 2013 by Dee and Chris Drake and it’s gone on to supply more than 55,000 sacks of toys to youngsters living in poverty across the region. This Christmas Your Sharks are asking you, the Sharks Family, to dig deep and help the charity reach its target of supporting more than 12,000 children this year alone. You can get involved by dropping off NEW toys outside the West Stand ahead of Sunday’s Investec Champions Cup game against Stade Francais. Sale Sharks’ Sales and Marketing Director Claire Butters said: “The Toy Appeal is a fantastic charity that has helped so many young people in some of the most deprived parts of our region enjoy a special Christmas. “Last year we were blown away by the response from players, staff and fans alike, and with the cost of living continuing to rise, everyone at the club is buzzing about the chance to help out again.

“The players and staff will all be bringing in toys and we want our Sharks Family to support us too. Together we can make a real difference to the lives of so many children.”

The Toy Appeal aims to provide a toy sack with eight carefully selected items. You can donate a new toy of any size for a child:

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• Stocking filler   • Board game / puzzle   • Books   • Arts & crafts item • Teddy / Doll (appropriate for a specific child’s age) • Ball / sports item

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