What was meant to be a fierce northern “derby” between Sale and Newcastle on Friday night is, in truth, more of a friendly reunion. The Sharks’ Alex Sanderson and the Falcons’ Steve Diamond have been friends for years, regularly taking their eight-year-olds to the same swimming class. They know each other’s strategies inside out.
Sanderson has been urging his team to match Newcastle’s intensity, given their desperate need for survival: “They’re talking about putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads; we must match their emotional drive.” Diamond, on the other hand, has stripped his team’s tactics to the core to counter Sale’s powerful pack and territorial game. “We’re not competitive right now,” he admits. “Some players still don’t grasp our game plan on match day.”
Both coaches are mindful of the broader context. With no Premier League football this weekend and the Super League grand final at Old Trafford, rugby has a golden opportunity to capture the imagination of a young northern audience. Diamond, who spent years at Sale as both player and coach, knows Mancunians won’t suddenly ditch City and United. However, he’s acutely aware that if rugby union in the north fails to attract new fans, the future looks bleak. “Rugby in the north is crucial for England, and I know the RFU’s Bill Sweeney and Conor O’Shea understand that. The demographic watching games is mostly over 50. We need to make the game more appealing to watch and play.”
Newcastle, with the return of their dynamic wing Adam Radwan, need a strong performance to show there’s hope at the end of their dark streak. They’ve lost their last 24 Premiership games, and Diamond admits the recent heavy home defeat by Leicester was tough. “It seemed Leicester hadn’t had a coach for a week, while we hadn’t had one for six. We thought we could play a certain way and got exposed. We must improve drastically and be competitive. That’s all I’m asking right now.”
Physical recovery from the Tigers game has ruled out intense training this week. “For 48 hours, it was like a scene from 1970s Vietnam. More people were on beds than walking. The days of pushing them hard are over.” Instead, Diamond has simplified the game plan to rebuild confidence. “Belief is crucial. We need competitive games for that belief to grow.”
It’s been humiliating to face the public after losses, but Diamond insists they must move on. “We’re stripping everything back. We had 17 options; now we have five. People might say, ‘That’s the Steve Diamond mentality.’ They’re right. We’ll be competitive that way. We don’t need to do much to be better than last week. Is this the toughest challenge I’ve faced? It ranks up there, but it’s not unconquerable.”
Diamond acknowledges it will take “at least five years” to match Sale’s steady improvement, fueled by local talent. Sanderson is proud that 19 of his matchday 23 against Gloucester came through Sale’s academy and is thrilled to have the Curry twins and Du Preez brothers back. Local products Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale are also shining.
Sanderson, who celebrated his 45th birthday with a curry, half a bottle of Malbec, and a giant cookie baked by his son, doesn’t want Diamond spoiling his Friday night. “We like each other, but we really want to beat each other. Ticket sales and sponsorship depend on us winning. Neutral fans support trophy winners, right?”
