With all the different permutations there are when the Premiership semi-final reaches its climax on Saturday, the equation is easy to sell: victory at Saracens will seal their place in the last four. You have the advantage of knowing that your fate is in your hands, even if the task ahead of you is big.
This sale offered itself this luxury is not a trifle, considering that they topped the rankings just before Christmas, but languished in eighth place a few months ago. While the season has been unpredictable across the board, no team has been more spirited than last season’s losing finalists.
An adjustment of their action, led by George Ford, paid off in the form of four victories in five matches since the long break during the Six Nations tournament. This eight-week break gave each party the opportunity to stop to breathe, take stock and make the necessary changes, but there was a considerable revision for the sale. Ford returned after playing a key role in turning England’s lackluster action into a harmful weapon against Ireland in the opening Six Nations rounds, and did almost the same with the Sharks, according to Alex Sanderson, Sale’s director of rugby.
“He was beautiful, especially the way he came back from the Six Nations and led the group and took on so much,” Sanderson said. “How he changes our actioning mentality, how he did it with England he was instrumental in the recent form of our team, and I also think internationally. I was very impressed with him.”
Sale scored seven test bonus points while the top three teams have 10, but Sanderson adds: “Since the break we’ve clearly been a different team in the way we’ve used the ball. I don’t think people noticed us because we haven’t proved over time that this is the style we wanted to play. But those who watched us, would have watched us in detail in the last games, will see the change.
“We have found consistency at the level of the playing team and it always helps with the form because it brings cohesion and cohesion is king. We could have split up at Christmas, but we didn’t, got together and found superior form than we have in the last three years.”
If Sale fails against the Saracens, the door will be open for a number of other teams to reach the playoffs. Bath should join Saracens and Northampton in the top three, but in the event of a defeat to Sale, Exeter can take fourth place with a discounted win against Leicester. If this does not come to pass, the winner of the Harlequins strikeout with Bristol – where test bonus points seem inevitable– would be on the sidelines.