Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson insists his side will “pull tighter” after a tough period results wise and how a team bonding session today should help.
The north-west side were beaten 26-21 in their Investec Champions Cup pool opener against Glasgow Warriors on home soil and this follows a home Prem loss to Exeter Chiefs.
However, the Sharks were without several stalwarts on Friday night as the likes of George Ford, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Roebuck and other players were absent for the fixture.
Proud of his team
Speaking after the defeat which saw Sale let slip an early 14-0 buffer, Sanderson praised his under-strength team for how they never gave up against the fully-loaded Warriors.
“Unbelievably proud. I always am with this group,” he told Premier Sports.
“Physically we went at them. That’s a Full Metal Jacket Glasgow team there and we went at them in that first half.
“You know, (we) probably should have come in (ahead), if it weren’t for some back-to-back penalties and that’s on us as coaches. I reckon the detail could have been a bit better and scrum and the maul in that first half. Felt like we sorted it out in the second, but that gave them a try in the first half and then a few soft moments on the back of maybe 300 tackles. That lets them in for a first phase try from a kick return, first phase try off a maul and that’s the game innit.
“They’ve taken their opportunities and we’ve squandered a couple of ours in that second half. But like I said to the boys, I’m gutted about the result, but I can’t be prouder and more happy about their effort and how they’ve dug in and then give ourselves a chance to win it again at the end.”
Pride was the overriding emotion from Sanderson after his players pushed Glasgow Warriors all the way, with the Sale Sharks boss insisting there is plenty of fight in his squad.
Glasgow Warriors complete stunning fightback at Sale Sharks to start Investec Champions Cup in style
“There’s always that,” he stressed. “You know, you can build on that, can’t you? We can definitely build on that.
“There’s a few things we got better from last week and I think with that kind of performance we probably would have won last week, but it’s this week, you know, I mean, it’s Glasgow and it’s at home and they’ve come away and they’ve got a great result.
“Fair play to them. They won five turnovers at the rucks in the second half and that just takes the game away from you, doesn’t it?”
Next up for Sale Sharks is a trip to Clermont on Saturday and the eight-day break has given them an opportunity to relax this weekend with a team day out the main focus today.
“Pull tight don’t we. Things get tough you’ve just got to pull tighter,” he explained on Friday about how they will respond to the Glasgow loss.
Day out in town
“We’ve got a day out in town tomorrow (Saturday) with the lads, which is, you know, needed.
“A long turnaround for Clermont and we come in and we come in motivated and ready to get better.
“We go to Clermont and what other alternative is there? To fracture? Concede? No, we’ll go again and we’ll enjoy our time on the road in Europe and get better from the back of tonight.
“But like I say, we can build on that. I’m proud of them tonight, really proud.”
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