Sam Peters article on Steve Diamond.

[twitchy]

I'm reposting this from the match thread. Apparently this caused a stir at sale and some drama is happening (not exactly sure what).

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rug ... 51131.html

[Digby]

A flogging in training can work providing it's not repeated too often, but that alleged comment about Curry is very worrying

[Mikey Brown]

Get him in as permanent attack coach for England. Toughen us up a bit.

[fivepointer]

"Of course Diamond – or “Dimes” as he is known by some – blamed his players for the loss on Saturday. Who else’s fault could it be? Certainly not Diamond’s or any of his strutting, muscle-bound coaching staff, most of whom would look more at home on the door of a Salford nightclub than they would coaching young men to play a sport with wit, skill and intelligence"

Peters clearly not a fan.

Diamond is a bit old school for sure.

[Mellsblue]

I think he’s mostly had Sale punching above their weight, but when things start to go wrongly you need allies and he doesn’t have many.
The muscle bound comment seems strange. It’s a pro rugby club, there are muscle bound staff everywhere.

[Puja]

I think he’s mostly had Sale punching above their weight, but when things start to go wrongly you need allies and he doesn’t have many.
The muscle bound comment seems strange. It’s a pro rugby club, there are muscle bound staff everywhere.

He's on the Sale board though, so he's his own best ally. He'll not get fired unless they're fighting relegation.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

I think he’s mostly had Sale punching above their weight, but when things start to go wrongly you need allies and he doesn’t have many.
The muscle bound comment seems strange. It’s a pro rugby club, there are muscle bound staff everywhere.

He's on the Sale board though, so he's his own best ally. He'll not get fired unless they're fighting relegation.

Puja

Orange has pumped in too much money to let it get that far.

[Scrumhead]

I think he’s mostly had Sale punching above their weight, but when things start to go wrongly you need allies and he doesn’t have many.
The muscle bound comment seems strange. It’s a pro rugby club, there are muscle bound staff everywhere.

Pretty much.

The local rugby media clearly despise him and I’m pretty sure he banned Tim Cocker from Sale games a while back for daring to question him (that could be Eggchasers BS though).

[Puja]

I think he’s mostly had Sale punching above their weight, but when things start to go wrongly you need allies and he doesn’t have many.
The muscle bound comment seems strange. It’s a pro rugby club, there are muscle bound staff everywhere.

He's on the Sale board though, so he's his own best ally. He'll not get fired unless they're fighting relegation.

Puja

Orange has pumped in too much money to let it get that far.

But will he boot him for another lower midtable finish?

Puja

[fivepointer]

Rumour from RugbyInsideLine that Dorian West to be appointed forwards coach.

[Digby]

Diamond has done this a number of times now, developed an abrasive pack, tried to develop beyond that and then struggled, and then when trying to reset or go back to basics slate players until they get a little bored listening to him. That's an over simplification and in part an unfair one, but he has spent money now and I'm still waiting to see if he's the man to develop a side or the man who can create a base someone more astute can build on

Cockers strikes me as similar fwiw

[Tigersman]

See you would think Diamond would be like cockers and focus on pack first backs later.
BUT unlike Cockers Dimes really doesn't want to invest in the tight 5, and that has really hurt Sale.

All well and good thinking you can develop them but for every diamond in the rough is a diamond shaped dog turd, and it's a risk to have 9 players out of the 23 as pretty much just solid depth or project you need investment in that area.

Part of me also think diamond chooses not to spend that much to use it as an excuse for performances.

[Raggs]

I think Diamond would like to spend, but rumours are that SARU have told Sale to get lost when they came calling for props. I wonder if he's just too fussy, or a number of people/players don't fancy working with him.

Even their bigger signings so far have mostly been problematic characters themselves.

[Digby]

I don't think Dimes refuses to spend on the tight five as such, it's more he goes for star quality in the backs. Also he's signed some excellent tight forwards, their problem more being they can't hang on to all the players they'd want to

[Tigersman]

I don't think Dimes refuses to spend on the tight five as such, it's more he goes for star quality in the backs. Also he's signed some excellent tight forwards, their problem more being they can't hang on to all the players they'd want to

I could see that if it wasn't for the fact that he says they don't spend up to the cap.

Now granted that could be the higher ups limiting the funds, but wasn't orange saying he wanted to spend money to make sale one of the best clubs in England.

I really can't think of many excellent right 5 forwards he has signed recently.
Cobîlaș

[Digby]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

[Raggs]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

They've been linked to a number of SA forwards, but there were rumours that SARFU shot them down.

[Digby]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

They've been linked to a number of SA forwards, but there were rumours that SARFU shot them down.

That seems more about some short term cover than squad planning over 3-4 seasons

[Scrumhead]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

True.

WillGriff John has been a good signing for them that has quietly established himself as a good quality Premiership tighthead, but they’ve clearly invested far more on outside backs than they have in the tight 5.

From an outsiders point of view, it’s fairly obvious that Sale lack both quality depth in the front row and second row. The first choice players are decent, if not outstanding, but they’re very thin on the ground when it comes to back-up.

[Mellsblue]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

True.

WillGriff John has been a good signing for them that has quietly established himself as a good quality Premiership tighthead, but they’ve clearly invested far more on outside backs than they have in the tight 5.

From an outsiders point of view, it’s fairly obvious that Sale lack both quality depth in the front row and second row. The first choice players are decent, if not outstanding, but they’re very thin on the ground when it comes to back-up.

As Raggs said, they had plans to raid SA for some tight five, and were confident enough to hint as much before the SARU poo-pooed it.

[Scrumhead]

Funny how they had no problem with Bath signing van Rooyen.

[Puja]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

Taylor and Thomas left years and years ago though - it's hardly as though they're losing quality tight 5 hand-over-fist.

Puja

[Raggs]

True, but who have they replaced them with? They lost Taylor, Thomas, Cobilas, even the Fridge was important for them to not be playing Harrison for 80 a game.

[Stom]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

Taylor and Thomas left years and years ago though - it's hardly as though they're losing quality tight 5 hand-over-fist.

Puja

Well, they'd need to have some first...

[Digby]

Evans I like, and it's more losing the likes of Taylor and Thomas and focus going to sign the likes of Solomona, Yarde, O'connor

Taylor and Thomas left years and years ago though - it's hardly as though they're losing quality tight 5 hand-over-fist.

Puja

Taylor certainly left fairly recently and under Diamond, I forget who was in charge when Thomas left, and they have spent since Taylor left. They may not be spending the cap but they have focused on big names in the backs to boost their results, even paying a release for Solomona, over recruitment in the tight five

And that’s been a pattern of behaviour over a number of seasons, and imo they should have planned better over the period and not be in a position of saying we'd be looking better had SARU been more willing to oblige