Brendan Gallagher: Steve Diamond has more polish but can still spot a gem
OK, old habits die hard and there were a few choice words aimed mainly at his underperforming front row straight after the game but when I phoned him on Friday morning all was sweetness and light again. Fifth-placed Sale have generally enjoyed a cracking season against the odds and with a play-off place very much up for grabs this is no time for recriminations or diversions. It’s all about Quins now.
“We have got bigger fish to fry this week so we are moving straight on,” insists Diamond. “We have given all the lads a long weekend off but then we have got to clock on and switch on again.
“We lacked intensity in the Amlin game but that can happen occasionally over a long season. We have won plenty of games through our intensity and spirit this season and it was a timely reality check as to what can happen when it goes missing. Some of the lads were ring-rusty, we lacked cohesion, made mistakes and came up against a top class referee who didn’t miss a thing. End of story.
“The team that starts against Quins will understand fully the passion and desire that will be needed to win. What we need is exactly what we produced against Saints in the league a few weeks back and then down at Bath the other night.
“It’s going to be an exciting period for the club, home matches against Quins and Leicester, away games at Exeter where we have struggled in the past and London Irish but we have everything to play for. It’s a fine achievement to even be in a position to challenge for a play-off spot, in fact it’s a pretty half decent achievement these days to just avoid relegation if you abide by the salary cap.
“What we must do, at the same time as challenging for the play-offs, is safeguard our top-six position. A new European Cup will be in place next season and we must be part of that. So our philosophy over the next month will be this: if we win a game, fantastic, happy days; but if we are losing we must keep scrapping like hell for bonus points.
“Qualification for Europe would still be a major result for us and we could go off for a six-week break and then come back with real ambition and hunger. The play-offs would be even better.
“We learned plenty last season fighting for our lives after Christmas and I am hoping perhaps that some of that experience will hold us in good stead. As was pointed out to us at virtually every press conference no Premiership side had ever been bottom at Christmas and avoided the drop and achieving that “first” became a major goal for us and really sharpened our game. Our form over the second half of the season was that of a top-six team and gave us a glimpse of what we might achieve.”
Diamond, his head coach Bryan Redpath and assistants Peter Anglesea and Mike Forshaw have worked minor miracles in making Sale ultra-competitive again on limited resources and although it is a collective effort much credit must still go to Diamond, the canniest of operators who candidly admits he is learning all the time from his mistakes. Having flirted unsuccessfully with an executive role at the start of last season he has relished returning to full-time duties and his ability to spot a player of unsuspected talent and sign him up is invaluable.
A quick look at some of Sale’s core players – Daniel Braid, Michael Paterson, Luke Arscott, Jonathan Mills and Danny Cipriani – is instructive.
Everywhere you see Diamond’s influence. None, for various reasons, were obvious recruits but all have had a massive impact. Nor has Diamond’s nose for a deal and a quality player just profited Sharks. A few years back he was coaching at a winter training camp for Russia in Pretoria when he clocked the underused talent of Juandre Kruger languishing in the Blue Bulls Development XV.
Within months Kruger was moving mountains for Northampton, where Diamond was also working as a scout, and the gangling second row has now won 17 Springbok caps in the last three seasons.
“I’ve got a pretty varied CV I think it’s fair to say – two coaching spells at Sale, sacked at Sarries, qualifying Russia for the 2011 World Cup and helping at Saints and one of the things I have learned is the importance of building a squad, and not just the matchday 23.
“Those two years I spent knocking about the Eastern Bloc with Russia were good. Vad was playing his club rugby for Moscow’s top team VVA-Podmoskovye Monino and internationally for Moldova and was the best tight head in Russia by a country mile. He had got pedigree as a wrestler, he is a proper athlete, and when I came back to Sale he was the first player I thought of signing.
“We got a bit lucky as well in that because he is Moldovan he has a joint Romanian passport and is classified as an EU player. We released him this week for an important Moldova game against Poland, but he is back for Quins.
“He is a model professional, a great influence in the squad and a really hungry player. He’s got a brother who is a pretty useful loosehead who we have spoken to. There is a lot of good talent out there, we have also picked up two Russian locks at Sale – Kirill Kulemin and Andrei Ostrikov who are also good athletes and progressing.
“Dan Braid’s pedigree was there for all to see, but what we didn’t bargain for is that Dan is such a good captain and leader. When he got off the plane last season we were cast adrift at the bottom of the Premiership but in no time he had established himself as the leader of the group by the way in which he led by example and put his body on the line.
“Michael Paterson is another one, he’s been fantastic for us, one of the best locks around. He’s still only 28 and England qualified and I’m little surprised England haven’t had a look yet. Michael is a really formidable player.
“All last season I was very impressed with London Welsh who despite a limited budget and preparation time over-performed every week and showed real spirit and dog.
“Unfortunately it couldn’t save them from the drop but as soon as the opportunity presented itself I managed to sign three of their best players – Jonathan Mills, Tom Arscott and Phil Mackenzie – and they’ve been great additions.
“I don’t always get it right mind. We went down the Richie Gray route last season and it didn’t really work. Sale hasn’t got that culture which looks after a big name. You have to buy into Sale because we are not a big-star studded club in that sense.
“One of the most impressive things about Danny Cipriani since he joined us is that he gets the Sale ethic totally. Not only is he a great player but Danny is a very popular lad within the group and is proving a leader in his own way. As you get a bit older you do get a bit wiser and that applies to players and coaches alike.”
