By Tigger
August 13 2007

The fallow time is nearly over with less than two weeks to the resumption of hostilities at Edgeley Park. We now know that we will have Charlie with us for the duration of the World Cup (terrible for him, wonderful for us), but many other key players will be missing. So, what does next season have in store? Tigger polishes off his crystal ball and peers intently for clues.

Predictions for the coming season....

...dreams, aspirations and a bit of realism? 

Come Friday we are a week away from kicking off the season with the pre-season friendly against Samoa (unless you are lucky enough to be going to Bayonne for the preseason friendly on Sunday...but that is for the few so we will concentrate on the many).

It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride...it seems like a long time ago since I watched Sale beat Bath in that nail biter...all the usual closed season rumours...Who are we signing...Who is going...? 

Well here we are. Nearly. Once Mr. Ashton decides next Tuesday who he is taking to France for the RWC we will finally know who is going to start the season for us from the England camp...and once Monsieur Laporte stops trying to play the politician and muddy the waters we will know if Bruno will be in the mix (he has to take Seabass I just hope he plays him...). We know that we will be missing Jason White (not sure about Scott Lawson and Rory Lamont ) The Lobbe brothers and Elvis.

And lets us ALL...even you at the back...say a prayer for the safe return of our players. Please. We have already had scares over Mark Cueto and Scott Lawson...haven't we suffered enough! 

I remember this time last season...a warm glow after winning the GP in both its forms and watching Sale in the pre-season friendlies in France. Lobbe jnr, Bell, Mayor...it looked very good...very good indeed. But like any good story there was many a twist and turn to come.

It was a truly awful season...abysmal...one of the worst I have witnessed since we got relegated many years ago...and we have come close since...but not quite that close. Yes we know the reasons why...and we have gone into them ad nauseum. 

SO LET US LOOK FORWARD.

Luke is here...the worst best kept secret ever? Who cares now? But there are others...Benoit Bourrust, Scott Lawson, Julien Laharrague, Rory Lamont, Rudi Keil..... And let's not forget that we welcome back Charlie Hodgson, Sililo Martens, Nathan Bonner-Evans, Jason White, and Andrew Sheridan...... 

The Rugby World Cup gets under way in a little over four weeks...once that is over we can really get down to business. If we get a good start then we could be set for our best season since...well...2005/2006....yes we have no HEC this year so it will be hard to top that season.

Or will it? Well winning the Guinness Premiership would do for a start. And the...the...the. other European Competition. And the PowergenAngloWelshEDF Cup. 

What would you see as a realistic goal for Sale this season? One thing is for sure...it can not be as bad as last season.....