Captain Josh happy to hand over armband
JOSH Beaumont says not being given the captain’s armband back for Sale’s 34-28 victory over Wasps helped him.
The Sharks’ club skipper made his return from a shoulder injury against the Premiership tabletoppers but it was Will Addison who led the team out.
Director of rugby Steve Diamond’s decision to stand by the interim captain for the visit of Wasps, as well as starting Sam James in fly-half ahead of AJ MacGinty, surprised many supporters.
But 24-year-old Beaumont believes Addison retaining the captaincy helped him focus on his own game and took some weight off his shoulders.
He said: “It was my first game back and I knew I would probably have to play 80 minutes.
“It was more about focusing on my job and it did feel like a weight off my shoulders in some aspects as I could focus on my game.
“Once I get more game time under my belt then it will be easier to step back into that role.
“Will’s done a great job. He’s really brought the guys together well in what was a sticky patch. Not just Will but other guys like Mike Haley, Sam James and Cam Neild have done well too, as well as the experienced guys.
“He’s done a really good job and is unbeaten at the moment [in the Premiership]. Will’s good at dealing with the referees. He knows how to talk to them.”
The bonus point victory over Wasps may have been Beaumont’s first game back in the side, but it was the Sharks’ fifth successive victory in all competitions.
Their unbeaten run will be given more big tests over the coming weeks as they face a crunch tie with Northampton Saints before a trip to third-placed Exeter Chiefs.
Before both of those games, a daunting trip to Saracens awaits and Beaumont says Sale must continue improving should they win at Allianz Park, although he admits Sarries’ two-game losing run gives them cause for belief.
He said: “There’s still lots of things we can do better. We can certainly work harder off the ball and create more opportunities.
“We’re coming up against a very strong Sarries side who will be wanting to get a win after losing a couple, so we’ve got to be that extra bit better on the road.
“They will be even more motivated. As I know and the team know, a two-game losing streak for them probably feels like the six or seven game one for us earlier in the year. They don’t often lose back-to-back games. They’ll be fully pumped up coming back at home but if we can get into them early doors and try and knock their confidence then who knows?”