1
Steve Diamond leaves Sale Sharks with immediate effect
By Ciarán Kennedy
Sale Sharks have announced that Director of Rugby Steve Diamond has left the club with immediate effect due to personal reasons. Paul Deacon will take charge of the team as head coach while the club 'take stock and plan for the future.'
In a short statement posted on the club's website, Sale thanked Diamond for his 'loyal service and commitment'.
'The club would like to thank Steve for his loyal service and commitment over the years. He leaves Sale Sharks in a strong position having improved the club in many ways and we wish him every success for the future."
Diamond said he will be taking some time away from the game before planning his next move.
"After 10 proud years with Sale Sharks I have taken the decision to step away from the business," Diamond said.
"I feel that this is the perfect moment to hand over to someone else, given the club is now stable and in a great position to compete at the highest level.
"We have acquired a world class training facility, built an academy that is the envy of many premiership clubs and constructed a squad that can win tournaments and trophies at domestic and European level.
"I know Simon and Ged will continue with the progress we have made together, and I now look forward to taking some time out and planning my next challenge."
Sale have won two of their opening three games of the current Gallagher Premiership season.
They finished fifth in last season's table but missed out on the Premiership play-offs due to an outbreak of Covid-19, which led to the club forfeiting their final league game of the season. Diamond, who also led Sale to Premiership Cup success last season, was recently cleared of any wrongdoing in his handling of the Covid-19 outbreak at the club.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
3
Let's be real about these All Blacks
4
Why World Cup winner doesn’t blame All Black for leaving New Zealand
5
Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
Go to comments