Sanderson: 'I am sure the players will reference it in smaller groups'

Alex Sanderson, the Sale director of rugby, will send his men out against Exeter Chiefs at the AJ Bell Stadium on a revenge mission but insists another failure will not end their hopes of making the Gallagher Premiership playoffs.

Sale, last season’s beaten finalists, are currently eighth after losing to Bath 42-24 last weekend and now face an Exeter team that thrashed them 43-0 earlier this season at Sandy Park and who hold fourth place and stand eight points ahead of Sanderson’s team. “It is operation ‘get your own back’ after what happened at Sandy Park.” said Sanderson.

“I am sure the players will reference it in smaller groups but there are bigger things at stake in what we want to get out of the season and that is the overriding motivation. You can then lead into the dented pride and the opportunity to put records straight.”

So will defeat end Sale’s playoff hopes? “No, because Simon Orange (owner) is a master of numbers and reckons (another) 20-22 points is good enough to get us in,” said Sanderson. “We hope it doesn’t come down to that. My initial thought (after the Six Nations break) was that we have to win them all but because everyone is playing each other then four out of six wins with a bonus point picked up here and there should get you in there. That being said, we have to find form quick and there is an urgency.

“Exeter are proving to be a really good team with a lot character with young lads who are proving their worth. We are going in eyes wide open and have to be on a mettle and we need an 80-minute performance which we didn’t have against Bath. The lads called that out and we need a bench to finish the game off.”

Ben Curry has recovered from the arm injury he suffered trying to tackle Manu Tuilagi in England training and his leadership will be needed against Exeter.