It’s all about winning silverware for Sale’s Diamond

Steve Diamond views winning silverware as critical as his ambitious Sale side look to land a psychological blow in the Gallagher Premiership title race against Exeter tonight.

The Sharks have assembled a strong squad bolstered by the recent acquisition of Manu Tuilagi, only to resume league hostilities after a five-month break due to coronavirus with a defeat at Harlequins.

Exeter are favourites to seize relegated Saracens’ crown but

Diamond insists Sale should be challenging on the basis of their recruitment and large catchment area.

“It’s very crucial to win something,” the director of rugby said ahead of the behindclosed-doors clash at the AJ Bell Stadium.

“Sale have been around for 160 years and in the professional era they have won the competition once and won the European second tier competition a couple of times, so it is important.

“We have got a massive region, a massive area that effectively we share with Newcastle.

We produce lots of good kids and we have gone out and bought a lot of international players who are at the right age. Once we get it gelled I’m pretty sure we can attempt to do that.

“But the likes of Sarries and Exeter have been there for seven or eight years now and it’s difficult to break into the top two. We have a chance of getting in the top four.”

The title rivals have kept changes to a minimum as the league enters a brutal phase unfolding over 11 days that will see each club play three times as the Premiership catches up following the coronavirusenforced interruption.

The box-office match of a busy Friday schedule sees Sam James named at outside centre for Sale with Tuilagi moving to 12, and Alex Cuthbert return on the right wing for Exeter after recovering from a longterm shoulder problem.