'He didn't look like he has been away at all, let alone two years'
Last Sunday in Manchester wasn’t just a celebration of an opening round Gallagher Premiership win for Sale, there was also great elation that Josh Beaumont had stepped off the bench and successfully played his first rugby match in 15 months
The 30-year-old son of ex-England skipper Bill had last featured for the Sharks in June 2021, his left knee breaking down after a bit of bone chipped off to end his comeback following the recovery from his rupture of the patellar tendon on his right knee.
Thirteen matches were all he had managed to play since November 2019, but that adversity finally gave way last weekend to a second-half appearance as a sub for Matt Postlethwaite.
He doesn’t feature this Saturday at Bath, as England’s Jonny Hill is set for his Sale debut, but the memory of his appearance versus Northampton will surely now drive Beaumont on following his considerable layoff.
“We mentioned it on the field in the little huddle afterwards and he got a big cheer from the boys,” said Sale boss Sanderson about how the Beaumont comeback was received by his teammates.
“There was more elation for him coming back than the result, he is so highly regarded and well respected and much loved in this environment. It wasn’t just a win for Josh, it was a win for us all. I don’t know many people who could after two years out have the drive to get back. He managed the lineout, he was running lines. He didn’t look like he has been away at all, let alone two years. He has just gone up again in my estimation - and he was pretty high up anyway.”
It’s a comeback story that Sanderson hopes can inspire other players when they get injured and feel the road back is too long and too daunting. “We [rugby] are not the most dangerous sport, I have been told there are more dangerous sports out there which I won’t divulge because some sporting bodies will come after me, but injury is inevitable in any contact sport.
“And so it is how you persevere through injury, through adversity, which injury is. It not only grows you as a person but it shows the mark of you. He is a great example. Unless it is a chronic injury at some point your bad luck is going to end, it has got to end and you see this in many people’s careers and this has now happened with Josh in his career.
“Fortunately it has not come at the end of his career, he has still got a year, two years maybe three to have the best years of his career and that is down to his own perseverance. For anyone else who is injured, what is that song by Journey, don’t stop believing!”
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The way Ratima has been treated he needs to look OS. Same with Perofeta and Love, Hothem too. Razor is a token coach. Gives debuts but very few mins. Also DM too. Just go earn millions elsewhere DM as all you get in NZ is bagging.
BB is coaches favourite and I say let him have BB right thru to the next 2 or maybe even 3 World cups.😁😁 Have JB outside him at 12...That just works so well.
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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