By pitprop
September 22 2005

Two games won this season - but at Vicarage Road: won none. Buoyed by a good victory over London Irish at home, Sale travel to Watford hoping to lay another hoodoo to rest. Pitprop dons his thinking fez to bring us some thoughts on the upcoming meeting between old "friends".

Can’t believe it, Round 4 already! Sale travel to Watford this Sunday to visit the London Branch hoping to pick up a bargain five-pointer. The win against the Oirish lifted them to fourth, the top end of the table where many pundits placed them. Experts also predicted that London Sale would be up there, chasing the Northern originals, yet they occupy familiar surroundings in mid-table after two losses and only a win over tail-end Tykes to show for this season’s efforts. But its early days yet. Both sides will want to ease up the table – London Sale will feel that home advantage will give them an advantage, Sale will look to overcome the Vicarage Road hoodoo, and record their first victory there.

Sale’s Friday night special win over London Irish will certainly have lifted the team and supporters. First five-pointer and signs that the team is starting to gel. Good things are starting to revolve around Larrechea at fullback, his towering up-and-unders so reminiscent of Jim dominating the Heywood Road ground. The centre partnership is beginning to show the signs of the understanding that is necessary to bring the best out of the back three. The names Charlie and Valentin are beginning to replace Charlie and Basil in the minds of the supporters.

Up front the pack seem to have the scrummage sorted. Sheri progresses with every game, and both Stu and Stewart have improved. No coincidence then that the quiet assassin packs down between them, Bruno’s delight in the destruction of opposition front rows evident to all. Schoey continues his development in the second row, with both line-out and ball-carrying skills to the fore. And SeaBass is his usual elemental self, his complete disregard for his body both in defence and attack surely curtailing – eventually - his playing career.

But (there’s always one of those about) the lineout and loose play are still works in progress. An improvement against Irish (great stealers of opposition throw-in) was noteworthy, and another upgrading will be necessary this weekend. Loose play needs tightening up, as too much turnover ball is offered to opponents. Driving play needs attention, as does defence of the drive – with three Frenchmen in the pack, this reporter’s hope was for a mauling specialist among them. Too critical? Not with bigger and more searching examinations ahead.

And what should we expect of the London subdivision on Sunday? Well we may not see too many of our former players. Nikki Little is suspended for a shoulder charge in an “A” game, Bedford is on a season-long loan to Rotherham, and Lecter was subbed in the 62nd minute at Sixways, apparently injured. Cairns, Dickens, Raiwalui and the Axe all played a part in the one-point loss to Wuss. Of Fully and Dan there was no sign, although both have played this season.

Despite the pundits faith in Saracens, Steve Diamond was quick to play down talk of title contenders after their opening day loss to Wasps at HQ. Michael Aylwin in the Guardian referred to their “formidable scrummage and aggressive defence” and commented upon their ability to offload. Diamond took the view that his side was still a work in progress, with at least a year’s more consolidation needed.

Sarries second game gave them a little breathing space. Our neighbouring Tykes, sadly out of sorts despite the injection of Justin Marshall into their ranks, provided easy meat for their first home game, and they crushed the Yorkshiremen 34-16. Dan Scarborough turned it on against his former club, and the first choice pack ground out a rolling maul try. Incidentally, Kitson’s comment in the Guardian may illustrate to our newer readers the reason for the London Sale epithet. “…this could have qualified as a north country derby, with eight of the home squad having previously represented Leeds, Sale or Newcastle. With Diamond and the coach Mike Ford offering flat-vowelled advice from the touchline, the place is more Coronation Street than East-Enders this autumn”. The total was actually eleven, of whom eight had moved on from Sale!

And finally last weekend’s near miss at Worcester. Wuss forward power dominated the first half, squeezing a penalty try from London Sale but the limited possession obtained by the visitors allowed them to go in 12-10 up at the break. After the interval, both sides traded the lead, with Sarries trying to edge away from the home side. The Londoners ran out of props and the game went to uncontested scrummages. Here Diamond and Ford made a mistake – they brought on backrow men for the props while Wuss beefed up their pack. A twenty-man maul ensued in the last minute and Worcester’s heavy mob forced the pushover. Four tries from the backs in this game show where the London branch’s strength lies when their pack is neutralised. Scarborough has returned to scintillating form this season, and Tommy Castanets has not only arisen from the physio’s couch but appears to be well past the convalescent stage.

So how will Steve Diamond’s game plan look at Sunday’s game? London Sale rely on a heavy and well-drilled front eight, but if reports are to be believed, the pack will not be first choice in the front and second rows. Cobus Visagie was selected and then pulled out of the Wuss game, Broster had taken an ankle knock earlier last week, but played and was injured, and Lecter was reported as limping off at Sixways. One supporter on the messageboard was urging the club towards the temporary secondhand market! At lock, Chesney, a starter last Saturday, may well not be available if the journos are to be believed. He thought a meeting between Wuss’s Le Roux and the fencing desirable, although his aim was off, said object meeting only a water container. The opinion of the press favoured a red card instead of the insipid yellow proffered, and now a citing followed by what is likely to be a lengthy ban.

If Saracens are without members of their front-line front five, they may well opt to try wider out, where the backs have a more settled look. The half back pairing of Dickens and Jackson have started all three games so far. Dickens will be as fiery as ever against his former club while Waikato man Glen Jackson is growing comfortable in the black flyhalf shirt, although there are complaints about his place kicking accuracy. The very quick Haughton and the off-loading Vaikona teamed with the in-form Scarborough at fullback can certainly turn Castaignède’s trickery into tries. All they need is sufficient good ball. And of course there’s the sixty four thousand (or maybe more) pound question? Will we see the premiership blooding of the enigmatic Andy Farrell, he of the battered big toe? Or will the Fez boys keep him for the pointless Powergen?

The battle up front will hold the key to this encounter. If London Sale do not put up their first choice props, then they will have a difficult afternoon in the scrum against Sheri, Bruno and either Stewart or Turner. The long-haired Bruno will relish a contest with the mulleted Byrne, while Cairns and Titterell will be hoping to get into the dogfight at some stage. But the front row contest will definitely lose its connoisseur’s savour if the Cobus-Sheri main event is put on hold until the clubs’ next meeting. Vyvyan is currently operating in the second row due to their back row riches. The whole-hearted Raiwalui has benched in the last two games, so could be expected to take over if Chesney is up before the beak. Neither Chesney nor Vyvyan are second rows by nature, so the Fijian may well bolster their line-out, which suffered at Sixways. And the back row has some explosive talent available, although Richard Hill is injured. The Axe is finally back from a potentially career threatening condition, and very anxious to make an impression. The impacts between Alex and Seabass alone should be worth the price of admission! Youngsters Skirving and Seymour have started as 8 and 7 respectively this season with Randell’s only appearance so far as a prop replacement at Sixways!

So on paper, the two teams are alike, strong up front with the ability to spread it wide and the speed to run it in. Diamond continues to attend at EP, no doubt to watch the type of rugby he’d like his side to attain! Yet as he admitted, they still have a long way to go. And, as has been discussed many times on this board, just how many of those who followed Pied Piper Steve to Vicarage Road would YOU invite back? Although there is a strong argument that those who did go are gritty, team players, their replacements at the Sharks are perhaps more skilful, and have more presence. Now is the time for the newer players, and those loyal to the club despite Diamond’s blandishments, to impose themselves upon the London outlet. The analysts predict it, the supporters demand it, the league position insists upon it – Sale to break their duck In Watford and claim their bargain at the London Sale!

Just a couple of questions for you.

• What will be the score between the teams?
• How many minutes will it take before Lecter is yellow-carded?
• And what price a brace for Frank?!?