It’s been nearly a week and we’re still not over that Ben Curry try! As a Sale fan it’s a delight to be back at the scene of that piece of genius, where our fantastic home record this season rumbles on.  

The Toulon game came with a lot of pressure for the team, and while us fans may have been nervous, the team certainly were not. Despite a long scoreless period in the first half, the Sale team looked in a confident mood, and in the freezing cold the French visitors never really looked like scoring. After lots of pressure from Sale, the first try when it eventually came, was worth waiting for, combining the footballing ability of both Curry’s, a touch of genius from Raffi, finished by Roebuck and all orchestrated by George Ford. We can’t say enough about the Ben Curry try other than we will be watching it on repeat for years to come. 

The strength of our homegrown academy products was a theme throughout that game and is contributing to the feeling of this being a very special group of northern players we’re privileged to watch in a Sale shirt. The reward for that excellent performance, including the bonus point, is an away trip to Toulouse. That’s a trip where everyone will no doubt write us off, giving us nothing to lose. Its very unlikely, but it will be a lot of fun either way – and when we’re written off, that’s when we thrive! 

Speaking of those northern homegrown prospects, while we’ve known their talent for a long time, it’s superb to see a significant number of them recognised with call ups to respective international squads. We have the most players in the England squad, with Reedy and WillGriff also called up to Scotland and Wales. It should make the Six Nations even better viewing for Sale fans. We can only hope England see sense and give Ben the 7 shirt. We’ll keep banging the drum, as we’re sure many Sale fans will! 

Before the internationals kick off though, we welcome table toppers and favourites for the league, Bath Rugby, for our final game before the break for the 6 Nations and Premiership Rugby Cup. They have a fantastic squad with the likes of Ben Spencer (who it seems always saves his best games for Sale), Finn Russell and Ollie Lawrence lighting up the league this year. Coming off a defeat away at Leinster, in which they played some great rugby and were ultimately undone by a slightly harsh red card, they’ll be out to keep their Premiership season on track for a consecutive home semi-final. We have some revenge to exact after last seasons semi-final at the Rec, so this should be a cracker. It’s the biggest threat to our great home record yet, so a loud proud northern crowd will be crucial. Let’s send the lads off into the international break with a huge atmosphere and hopefully a huge win. 

Enjoy the game! 

Alex and James 

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