SEMI-FINAL - Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers | Matchday Programme

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THE GALLAGHER WAY. SINCE 1927.

WHAT. A. SEASON.

What an achievement, and what a moment for everyone associated with the club. Here we all are, with a mix of excitement, nerves and anxiety, not to mention a huge amount of northern pride ahead of today’s game. it’s going to be a belter!

As we reflect on the season, there are so many reasons to feel grateful, but what stands out the most are the people who are at the heart of this club, our Sharks family. We want to say a massive heartfelt thank you to our players, our rugby staff, our commercial team, the catering team, Sharks Foundation and our volunteers, who make all of this possible. Hard work, passion and grit; that’s the Shark blood in us all.

Of course, we also owe you - our loyal supporters - a huge thank you too. To those of you who have been with us over the years and to those of you who have discovered Sharks more recently, thank you for your support. This club is special, we’re on a charge and we couldn’t do it without you. This season, we’ve seen record crowds at the AJ Bell and today 10,000 Northern voices are

here, loud and proud, coming together to spur on the lads. Brilliant!

The transition the club has been through this last two years, both on and off the pitch, has been remarkable. There is so much hard work happening behind the scenes at Carrington to create a high performance culture of togetherness, with that northernness keeping our feet on the ground. New faces and new ideas enable us to keep building.

On the pitch, the performances and cohesion you can see within the teams are products of just that. Alex’s coaching philosophy has led the boys to achieve our best league position in recent years. Since Round 2, we’ve been in the number 2 position, and that is testament to the commitment of all the players and back-room staff. Our squad is looking strong and settled for the next few years which, we hope, should lead to some more silverware in our future.

We’d like to give a particular mention to our departing players – Ewan

SALE SHARKS: GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP SEMI-FINALISTS!

A WORD FROM THE OWNERS

Ashman, Matt Postlethwaite, Kieran Wilkinson, Jason Woodward, Ryan Mills, Ben Carlile, Elliot Gourlay and Dom Barrow - all of whom we would have liked to have kept if we could, but are unable to due to the limitations of the salary cap. So, thank you, lads! And a special thank you to our retiring players - Jono Ross, Will Cliff and Byron McGuigan – who hang up their boots after incredible service to the club.

Off the pitch our commercial team’s focus has been on raising the club’s profile to build our fanbase and sponsorship portfolio across the men’s and women’s game, improving the matchday experience and impacting local schools and grassroots clubs. There is so much more to come... we’re just at the start. We’d also like to thank our sponsors, who not only help support our club, but also share our vision and values, and are a crucial part of what we’re trying to achieve here.

The commitment to our women’s game has really come to the forefront this season. Thank you to everyone

who has supported our Northern Rugby Matters campaign; not only did that help secure our place in the Premier 15s, it also raised the profile of rugby in our region and hopefully helped young girls see there is a pathway to being a rugby player here in the North West.

We love this club, just like you do. Win or lose today, we could not be prouder. You have our commitment as owners that we will always be here to support Sale Sharks, and together with you, we will strive to become a force in the Premiership and Europe!

Simon, Michelle & Ged.

ALEX SANDERSONDIRECTOR OF RUGBY

A WORD FROM THE AXE

WELCOME BACK TO THE AJ BELL STADIUM FOR THE FINAL TIME THIS SEASON. WHAT A SEASON IT HAS BEEN AND WHAT A GAME WE HAVE FOR YOU TODAY TO WRAP IT ALL UP. IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT WE’VE FINALLY GONE AND BAGGED OURSELVES A HOME SEMI-FINAL AND WITH IT, A REAL CHANCE AT PREMIERSHIP SUCCESS.

I want to start by thanking you all for your incredible support over the season. We truly feel your support more than we ever have and it’s been amazing to see so many of you at the stadium and on the road with us this year. The Sharks family play a huge part in what we do on the pitch so it’s important you share our success. What a ride it’s been so far, but I promise you, we’re nowhere near done.

Since we missed out in the semi-final two years ago, we’ve been working and building towards this as an organisation and now that we’re here, I’m not jumping up and down and it doesn’t feel like a dream or a fairytale because we’ve worked hard to get here. We’ve earned this opportunity.

We know it’s a massive game for us as a group and also for rugby in this region, but it’s not our first rodeo. That experience two years ago was a painful one but I hope we’ve learned how to manage an occasion like this better. I want the lads to enjoy this challenge

but not be overwhelmed by it. I want them to embrace the full house and the occasion and I’m confident it will bring out the very best in them.

But we know it won’t be easy. Standing in our way are the current Premiership champions, led by a man that I and you know very well indeed. Wiggy had a tough start after taking over from Steve but Leicester’s form over the past six weeks has been fantastic and so much credit goes to him for that. They are a highly competitive, physical team who base their game model on a lot of similar aspects to us. I believe it’s a championship-winning game model. Key individuals have really stepped up – Pollard has hit form at 10, Wiese has stepped up and Montoya has filled the void left by Genge in terms of his captaincy. They’re a threat all over the pitch, especially from their kicking game because they get plenty of balls back in the air.

We’ve come out on top in our two

games against Tigers this season and that’s come down to our basics. In the most recent game our set-piece was really good and we know we need to be on our game again in that area because it’s one of their strengths. We’re expecting monumental physical battles and collisions on both sides of the ball and if we can even win one percent more of them, we’ll be in a good place.

The other side to those two wins is that we’re expecting them to be frothing at the mouth and chomping at the bit to get after us. I’ve heard from England camps that they wanted to play us. That’s not because they think we’re a soft touch – if a team had beaten us twice, we’d want them too. But we’re ready for that.

There is a heightened attention on today’s match so we have had to be careful to block out any white noise this week. We’ve had to frame the week in such a way that the players haven’t peaked emotionally too early.

We’ve utilised the experience in our squad to get us in the right mindset ahead of this afternoon. We’ve got seven or eight lads who have played in really big occasions and won trophies and we’ve leaned into them to help some of the younger

players who are enjoying this and experiencing a truly big occasion for the first time. Guys like Manu, George and Jonny Hill are massive in games like this and being able to draw on them has been crucial. They have been brilliant because they want to lead from the front. They know how to find ways of navigating through the difficult times because they’ve been there and they have that champions mindset that we’re trying to build. That’s not me looking past today – quite the opposite. To win today we’ve got to have that mindset and that attitude.

We got plenty of that this week from Rugby League legend Jamie Peacock, who came down to Carrington to talk to the boys. He is a bona fide legend and he had so much insight and a way of thinking that is so aligned with our group and our values.

There’s so much excitement around this game and around what we’re achieving. I get that. But I’m wary of talking about the further implications because we want to stick to the process.

We’re flying the flag for you and we’ll give it our very best.

Al

ROAD TO THE SEMIFINAL

AFTER A MEMORABLE SEASON FOR THE SHARKS, WE LOOK BACK AT FIVE PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN OUR CAMPAIGN WHICH PROPELLED US FORWARD TO OUR FIRST HOME SEMI-FINAL IN 17 YEARS

BATH AWAY – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

Despite an early Tom O’Flaherty try, a contentious ninth minute red card for Nick Schonert, your Sharks found themselves up against it at a bouncing Rec in the second game of the 2022/23 season. But one of the key attributes the Sharks have shown this season is resilience, and despite going down to 13 men in the second half, tries from Akker van der Merwe, Tom Curry and Jono Ross sent the travelling faithful home happy. It was a great start to the campaign and served notice to the rest of the league that we meant business.

CARPENTER’S DEBUT – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2022

Throughout this season we have seen the emergence of plenty young, talented northern players pull on the Sharks shirt. Our home fixture against the previously unbeaten Chiefs provided the platform for one in particular to show what he could do, as Joe Carpenter burst onto the Premiership scene with a memorable tryscoring debut. After going in at half-time level, your Sharks upped the tempo in the second half and Carpenter’s 69th minute score in front of a delirious South Stand sealed a 28-20 win, maintaining a perfect start to the season and giving the Sharks fans a glimpse of what was to come from the Yorkshire-born full-back.

3

Raffi Quirke endured a frustrating start to the 2022/23 season, having suffered a serious hamstring injury at the end of the previous campaign. But after emerging as a second half replacement against the Premiership champions, our scrum-half reminded us all of how good he is with a blistering cameo at Welford Road. First he provided an assist for Tom Curry, then he ran home the bonus-point score and if that wasn’t enough, he still had time to deny Tigers a late consolation with a try-saving tackle on Matt Scott. Your Sharks ran out 16-26 winners to record their sixth successive win of the season, and Raffi’s performance earned him a recall to the England squad.

REED’S LAST MINUTE WINNER – FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023

RAFFI’S RETURN – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2022 4

Resilience and a desire to fight until the very end are defining characteristics of this Sharks side, and they came to the fore on a cold Friday night in January as a stunning second half comeback from struggling Bath threatened to derail our push for a top four place, and a home semi. Alex’s men had led by 19 points in the first half and seemed set for a comfortable night’s work, but three second half scores from Bath turned the tabled and as the clock ticked to zero your Sharks were trailing. Enter flying winger Arron Reed to touch down in the corner and strengthen our grip on second place in the Premiership.

A COMEBACK

V SARACENS

– SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2023

Wins against Saracens haven’t been too easy to come by in recent years, and when the league leaders raced into a 16-point lead at the AJ Bell, you could be forgiven for thinking another tough day was on the cards. But late first half tries from Sam James and Joe Carpenter reduced the deficit and then tries from Carpenter and Jono Ross and a perfect day off the tee from Rob du Preez secured the bonus point leaving the stage set for JeanLuc du Preez to power over, sending the coaches wild, denying Sarries a losing bonus point and leaving the AJ Bell faithful dreaming.

YOur SharkS

YOur SharkS

THE FIGHT FOR THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN

OUR FIRST HOME SEMI-FINAL IN 17 YEARS IS HERE, AS WE TAKE ON LEICESTER TIGERS AT THE AJ BELL, IN WHAT WILL BE THE 106 th MEETING BETWEEN THE SIDES.

HERE’S A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HAMMERHEAD-TO-HEAD TAKING PLACE AT THE AJ BELL STADIUM TODAY.

Our opponents - last season’s league champions - recently saw their six-match winning streak ended by a narrow 1712 defeat to Harlequins in the final round of the regular season. The Tigers showed great fight in all areas of the field, after losing former Sharks winger Chris Ashton to a red card for foul play in the first half.

Leicester finished the regular season with the secondhighest rate of carry dominance in the league (23%) and having won the second-most scrum penalties on their ball (41). They also have the best ball retention at the ruck in the Premiership – winning 96.4% of their rucks - and have been the most efficient team in the opposition 22, being awarded either a penalty or a try in 61% of their visits to the red zone.

Sharks, meanwhile, have lost just one of their last nine league matches against Leicester, away from home in October 2021.

In a recent interview, Tigers’ Director of Rugby, Richard Wigglesworth said: “Alex [Sanderson] is an elite-level coach and has got the Sale Sharks singing this season; they’re a brilliant team and they’ve been a benchmark all season. He has no doubt been planning for this for quite a while and we know how good he is, how good they are and how tough the challenge will be.

“Not too many semi-finals get won away from home but we’re up for the fight, we’re excited for the challenge.” When asked about their own preparations, he added: “We have done our due diligence; we’ve seen a team who are playing very well, who know what they want to do and it will be a huge challenge. They’ve earned the right to be at home in a Premiership semi-final and be favorites for the game.”

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ONES TO WATCH

We are very familiar with the power of the Wiese family from our very own Cobus, and Jasper is a physical and dominant backrower. This season, for a player who has played more than 100 minutes of Premiership rugby, Jasper Wiese has averaged more carries (19.5) and metres in contact (28.4) per 80 minutes than any other player.

Former Sharks academy graduate Dan Kelly returns from injury and looks sharp in midfield. Capable of playing inside and outside centre, he has made 12 appearances for the Tigers this season, scoring three tries.

Leicester’s Argentine international is perhaps the best hooker in the world right now. With reliable impact at the breakdown and relentless appetite for the hardest yards; Montoya is definitely one to keep an eye on.

JASPER WIESE - BACK ROW

DAN KELLY - BACK ROW

JULIÁN MONTOYA - HOOKER

This meeting will be George Ford’s first time going up against his old side since joining the Sharks. He starts at fly-half today and goes up against World Cup winner Handré Pollard, who has been capped on more than 60 occasions by South Africa.

In a recent interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Fordy admitted: “Even from the last time we played them, they’re a different animal and a different beast. The run of form they have put together and the players they’ve got back, especially Pollard at 10, have made a huge difference to the way they are playing.”

Ford, who has known Tigers Head Coach Wigglesworth’s style and attitude to coaching, added: “ Wiggy would always try to improve and evolve the team; there might be some parts of the game which may be similar, but they continue to add a little bit more at the minute and we are fully aware of that”.

Reflecting on his own influence in this Sharks team, he said: “I was very fortunate when I was injured that Alex kept me very much involved, especially in the preparations side of things around game day. A combination of me, Deacs and Rob du Preez got our heads together in pre-season to understand how we can better ourselves for the team. This then spilt out into little conversations through the week, trying influence people and get them to understand what is needed to make a team tick within that. You need everyone to influence the game, especially when you’ve got the ball, regardless of where you are on the field.

Talking about our star boys and the young guns who have become key components of the Sharks squad this

season, he added: “ They remind me very much of the lads in Leicester when we had Jack V-p, Freddie Steward, Dan Kelly; very similar as they are all very hungry, they all do everything they possible can, all whilst still having a good time! They have been leading the backs and how we play, and that’s exciting!”

This will be Fordy’s second home appearance and last time on AJ Bell turf this season, Sharks Family, so let’s enjoy every spiral bomb and maybe get strapped in for a drop goal or two.

THEY’RE A DIFFERENT ANIMAL AND A DIFFERENT BEAST... THERE MIGHT BE SOME PARTS OF THE GAME WHICH MAY BE SIMILAR, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE.

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FOR THE FUTURE

FROM THE SHARK TANK

For the first time in 17 years, welcome to a home semi final for Sale Sharks! Off the back of one of the most successful seasons for Sale in many a year, today is a huge chance to go one step further onto a Twickenham final yet again. It’s just reward for what the club has built on and off the field over the last few years and it’s fantastic to see the fabled combination of South African steel and Northern Grit which is driving us there.

A spectacular win against Falcons last week was the perfect way to sign off the regular season on a feel good note, not least for the fact that every try was scored by an academy graduate (assuming you give Josh B the penalty try which he was robbed of!). We’re seeing the Ford-RdP combination continue to blossom, and we dread to think how the Leicester back 3 are feeling having seen some of those bombs go up onto Newcastle players. They’ll be watching out for Tom Roebuck that’s for sure…

Today’s opponents Leicester have had a turbulent season with the loss of most of the coaching staff to England

at various points through the season, so it’s a great credit to them that they’ve managed to overcome all those challenges. Some outstanding late season form has propelled them up to 3rd in the table, with no small amount of credit due also to Sale legend Richard Wigglesworth, who has had his fair share of semi-finals and finals in this league on the pitch over the last

OUR WEEKLY GUEST SPOT FROM THE PODCASTING SUPERFANS OVER AT THE SHARK TANK, THE NORTHERN POWERHOUSE OF RUGBY PODCASTING, WITH A DETAILED, IRREVERENT AND OCCASSIONALLY CYNICAL LOOK AT ALL THINGS SALE SHARKS.

few years. This is a Leicester team who seem to love fighting against the odds, characterised by the likes of Mike Brown in a career renaissance. So while home advantage and our season form is in our favour, make no mistake, this one should be titanic.

And while as much as today is a huge occasion on the field, it’s also a chance for us to reflect again on just what a superb season this has been. Only 10 seasons ago this club were a couple of results away from relegation to the Championship. To finish 2nd this year speaks to the foundations that have been laid by both the owners and the coaching staff, all supported by the players and the rest of the club staff who give so much to drive all that success.

For those of you reading this in the ground, you’re one of the lucky ones who managed to get a ticket, and it’s a fantastic effort from everyone mentioned above to sell this game out. It should generate a spectacular atmosphere and is an indication that northern rugby not only matters, but is alive and thriving. The only thing left to do now is sing, chant and shout as loudly as possible to support the team, and whatever happens, enjoy the day, the game, and the fact that Sale Sharks are well and truly back in the big time.

Enjoy the game!

Alex, James and Lewis

TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST, CLICK HERE:

ROSE BACK TO HER ROOTS

We are delighted to announce the signing of England Rugby prop, Detysha (Tysh) Harper on a two-year contract, in what is a significant coup for the club ahead of the 2023/24 Premier 15s season.

Renowned for her dominate ball carries and tough scrummaging, she embodies northern grit while adding international experience to the Sharks ranks, following a successful campaign for our Women’s team in 2022/23.

Salford-born Tysh started her rugby career at the age of 15 in local waters, down at Eccles RFC. She got her first taste for top level ruby at Firwood Waterloo RFC before moving to Loughborough, to combine her studies with her love for the game, obtaining a degree in psychology while playing for Loughborough Lightning and catching the eye of England Roses coaches in turn.

The 24-year-old got her first England call-up in November 2019, after previously playing for the Under-20s. Having made waves on the international stage with 5 England Caps. Injury prevented Tysh making her appearance at the 2022 Women’s Six Nations, and she will now look to continue her development here at Carrington.

I AM REALLY EXCITED TO COME BACK HOME AND REPRESENT THE NORTH.

Sale Sharks Women Head Performance Coach, Rachel Taylor added: “We’re super excited to have someone of Tysh’s experience and international quality! She’s going to fit in really well to the way we’re looking to play next season! It’s great that we can start to attract northern red roses home, as well as developing our young talent! “

Commenting on the move, Tysh said, “I am really excited to come back home and represent the north. I’m looking forward to the new challenge ahead and want to improve the perception of rugby in the north.”

INTRODUCING OUR BRAND NEW MONTHLY PODCAST, HOSTED BY BBC AND SKY SPORTS

PRESENTER MARK CHAPMAN

EPISODE 1

In episode one Mark explores leadership both on and off the field with Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson and Sale and England flanker Tom Curry, who became the youngest England captain since 1988 when he led his country against Scotland at the age of 23 in 2022.

EPISODE 2

Episode two is all about women’s sport as Mark chats to Sharks Women’s Performance Coach Rachel Taylor, along with Gavin Makel, the M.D. of Manchester City Women’s Football Club and proud Mancunian Stacey Copeland, who represented her country at both football and boxing and now presents on BBC Radio Manchester.

EPISODE 3

In episode three we explore how to develop the stars of the future with Sale Sharks Academy Manager Fergus Mulchrone, Burnley Football Club’s Head of Coaching Ian Jones and Sharks Academy graduate James Harper!

FERGUS MULCHRONE, IAN JONES & JAMES HARPER

WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT THIS SEASON

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN NEXT SEASON

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THANK

YOU TO OUR SCHOOLS

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN NEXT SEASON

YOUR SHARKS

GEORGE ARNOLD

ROUBAN BIRCH

BEN BAMBER

EWAN ASHMAN

ETHAN CAINE

JOSH BEAUMONT

DOM BARROW

BEN CARLILE

PATREECE BELL

ELLIS CAUSEY

HUW DAVIES

JAMES HARPER

SAM DUGDALE

BEN CURRY

DAN DU PREEZ

ROSS HARRISON

CAL FORD

TOM CURRY

JEAN-LUC DU PREEZ

JONNY HILL

ALEX GROVES

JOE JONES

YANDE NKONGE

JONO ROSS

ASHER OPOKU-FORDJOUR MATT POSTLETHWAITE

SIMON MCINTYRE

TUMY ONASANYA

NICK SCHONERT

WILL RILEY

EWAN MURPHY

COENIE OOSTHUIZEN

BEVAN RODD

BACKS

HARRY THOMPSON

TRISTAN WOODMAN

CONNOR DOHERTY

JOE CARPENTER

AKKER VAN DER MERWE

ROB DU PREEZ

WILL CLIFF

COBUS WIESE

JOE BEDLOW

TOMMY TAYLOR

TOM CURTIS

ELLIOT GOURLAY

SAM JAMES

TOM O’FLAHERTY

SAM HILL

REKEITI MA’ASI WHITE

BYRON MCGUIGAN

AARON POPE

LUKE JAMES

RYAN MILLS

BEN MOTAMED

RAFFI QUIRKE

GEORGE FORD

NYE THOMAS

CHARLIE WARDLE

ARRON REED

MANU TULAGI

TOM ROEBUCK

KIERAN WILKINSON

GUS WARR

ALEX WILLS

JASON WOODWARD

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