Alex Sanderson, Sale Sharks' director of rugby, is all charged up for the upcoming Premiership season, armed with a revamped coaching squad and fresh talent that has left quite an impression in the pre-season at Sale. The Manchester club, axed in last season's semi-finals at Leicester, is eyeing a major comeback and their first Premiership title since the 2005/06 triumph.
Sanderson has enlisted Marco Bortolami from Benetton and Joe Ford from Doncaster, aiming to fuel the Sharks' championship aspirations. New signings include Jacques Vermeulen, a formidable South African from Exeter's back row, and the promising young hooker Nathan Jibulu from Harlequins.
"The two new coaches have had to drive very respectable organisations in the past. They are more than just specialist coaches; they have taken demotions to be part of our organisation. They want to develop themselves and with that desire to get better, you kind of take people with you,"
Sanderson explained in the club’s Uncaged YouTube documentary series.
The shake-up has significantly altered Sanderson's management approach, emphasizing peer-level communication across the coaching staff to foster a supportive and challenging environment.
"With these guys coming in, I didn’t want the coaches who had been here for a few years to assume any position of authority and I didn’t want those guys coming in and wanting or feeling the need to take too much of the reins. What I wanted is to communicate as a coaching group, as peers, so we are able to challenge and push and support each other vicariously, by association," said Sanderson.
"We have very good coaches, very experienced and the team is in a good place already, but it was just trying to find a methodology where we can become a more adaptable team, that can find solutions on the run during games, and we want to get better the way we do things,"
Bortolami added, indicating a strategic shift towards adaptability on the field.
Ford also chimed in on the team's dynamics, "I have been impressed with the work ethic and intensity of everyone. You can tell why they have been a success the last few years, making semi-finals and finals. It’s just a given here, and the togetherness of the squad, there is a lot of consistency in their recruitment and who is still here. A big family feel which goes a long way on the pitch… But the difference in what we will be going after is at the line, the execution of that."
With a dynamic pack and a dangerous backline featuring international players, Sanderson is confident of a smarter, more versatile team emerging this season. Vermeulen's arrival with his intense focus and Jibulu's mature approach as a 'power athlete' only bolster Sanderson's optimism for a season marked by improvement and possibly, a title run.
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Alex Sanderson, Sale Sharks' director of rugby, is all charged up for the upcoming Premiership season, armed with a revamped coaching squad and fresh talent that has left quite an impression in the pre-season at Sale. The Manchester club, axed in last season's semi-finals at Leicester, is eyeing a major comeback and their first Premiership title since the 2005/06 triumph.
Sanderson has enlisted Marco Bortolami from Benetton and Joe Ford from Doncaster, aiming to fuel the Sharks' championship aspirations. New signings include Jacques Vermeulen, a formidable South African from Exeter's back row, and the promising young hooker Nathan Jibulu from Harlequins.
"The two new coaches have had to drive very respectable organisations in the past. They are more than just specialist coaches; they have taken demotions to be part of our organisation. They want to develop themselves and with that desire to get better, you kind of take people with you,"
Sanderson explained in the club’s Uncaged YouTube documentary series.The shake-up has significantly altered Sanderson's management approach, emphasizing peer-level communication across the coaching staff to foster a supportive and challenging environment.
"With these guys coming in, I didn’t want the coaches who had been here for a few years to assume any position of authority and I didn’t want those guys coming in and wanting or feeling the need to take too much of the reins. What I wanted is to communicate as a coaching group, as peers, so we are able to challenge and push and support each other vicariously, by association," said Sanderson.
"We have very good coaches, very experienced and the team is in a good place already, but it was just trying to find a methodology where we can become a more adaptable team, that can find solutions on the run during games, and we want to get better the way we do things,"
Bortolami added, indicating a strategic shift towards adaptability on the field.Ford also chimed in on the team's dynamics, "I have been impressed with the work ethic and intensity of everyone. You can tell why they have been a success the last few years, making semi-finals and finals. It’s just a given here, and the togetherness of the squad, there is a lot of consistency in their recruitment and who is still here. A big family feel which goes a long way on the pitch… But the difference in what we will be going after is at the line, the execution of that."
With a dynamic pack and a dangerous backline featuring international players, Sanderson is confident of a smarter, more versatile team emerging this season. Vermeulen's arrival with his intense focus and Jibulu's mature approach as a 'power athlete' only bolster Sanderson's optimism for a season marked by improvement and possibly, a title run.