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‘The going gets tough’

by Jenny Dixon
26/ 9/2008

SHARKS’ trophy chasing campaign is about to get tougher, as the team prepare for three games in eight days.

Their packed rugby programme begins tonight [Friday] at Edgeley Park against Gloucester.

Then, on Wednesday Sharks travel to London Irish for their fifth Premiership tie, before they turn their attention to the EDF Energy Cup, with a match at home against Cardiff Blues.

Sale’s head coach Kingsley Jones said: "The Gloucester match is the start of our tough campaign. This is where the going gets tough, it’s a really important period for us."

Sharks will make Premiership history tonight if they can prevent Gloucester scoring a try.

Second-placed Sale have not conceded a try in their first three league matches, and another clean sheet would make them the first Premiership team ever not to have a try scored against them in four consecutive games.

Jones believes the prospect of claiming a league record will be an added incentive for his players.

"Every game we go into, the objective is to not concede a try, but we have that record to chase now," Jones, who used to play for Gloucester, explained. "It might give us that extra edge to hang on in there to get that record."

Long-serving second row Chris Jones has been in the starting line-up for all of Sharks’ wins this season and is hoping that, as well as maintaining a water-tight defence, his side can start scoring some tries of their own.

Sale have crossed the whitewash just once this season, when Charlie Hodgson scored against Newcastle.

"If you look at the three games there’s not been a lot in it so they could have gone either way," Chris said of Sharks’ victories against Bristol, Newcastle and Saracens, all of which were won by five points or less.

"We know we’ve not been firing in that department and we’ve got to raise our game for Gloucester."