Dugdale glad to take his chances
SAM Dugdale can be forgiven for being more pleased than most whenever the Curry twins get called up by England.
Ben Curry’s long awaited and long overdue selection for the 2023 Six Nations is not only a source of pride for his team-mates and the club as a whole but was also good news for his fellow flanker Dugdale.
Often cast as the understudy to two of the best 7s in the English game, Ben Curry’s absence last weekend meant Dugdale was handed a rare start in the thrilling last-second Premiership win over Bath.
“I am delighted for Ben because it has been a long time coming for him to get into the squad and obviously Tom is going to be pushing for the next two weeks to be back fit,” said the 23-year-old.
“Whenever the England team get announced I always look for their names first to see if they are in there because it might mean I’ll get a few more minutes.
“We are quite tight, all three of us. We want it to be so that if they do go away and I step in there is no real dip in performance. If I can get to the same level as them, it shows the potential I have got.”
With Sale scoring with the last play against Bath to enhance their bid for a home semi-final, and Dugdale putting in a shift that his more celebrated colleagues would have been proud of, the night couldn’t have gone any better.
Both Ben and Tom, who is currently a couple of weeks away from a return from injury, were there to see Dugdale clock up 25 tackles (27 is the best this season) as well as competing aggressively at the breakdown in a man of the match performance.
“I spoke to them after the game and they both said well done. It is nice to hear it from them.”
Dugdale also led Sale into battle against Bristol in the Premiership Cup on Friday night and is relishing his run in the team. “I keep in close contact with (coach) Alex Sanderson and he keeps saying when your opportunity comes, keep taking it like you are and your chances are going to come,” Dugdale said.
“With our players in the back row, they are not going to be able to play in every single game every season. If I can keep doing what I am doing and prove my point, hopefully I can get in there and play with them more often.”
Dugdale can play both 7 and 6 and was a No.8 during his time in the Sharks academy.
The former Kirkham Grammar pupil joined the Sharks academy system at the age of 14, but then was released at the end of the 2019/20 season.
His time away from the game lasted just four months though, after back row injuries led to a new contract and a second chance.
But it gave him a fresh perspective on what a privileged position he had been in, and nearly wasted. “I was working at a building supply yard for a few months so that was a bit different and it was great that I got back, and got back in with Sale as well,” he said.
“I think it was a kind of kick in the butt to say, ‘look, you took it for granted the first time and if you’re going to make it you’re going to have to work even harder than you did last time’.” Whilst driving forklifts and JCBs was the fun side of the job, the early morning starts and having to travel back and forth to Fylde to train twice a week were a reality check as to what life outside of pro rugby could look like.
“I’d finish at six and Tuesdays, Thursdays I’d go straight to Fylde for training and get back late. You’re always struggling with time.”
Now Dugdale is packing down with the human form of JCBs, and he couldn’t be happier, especially as he’s surrounded by academy lads and other former Kirkham pupils.
“We’ve got Kieran Wilkinson, Connor Doc (Doherty), us three went to Kirkham, and there’s quite a few of the firstyear academy lads that came from there, I think there’s about seven of them.
“The last few weeks the whole bench has been from the Sale academy. With people going away for the Six Nations and everything, it is a good opportunity to get some game time.”
During his time at Kirkham, Alex Sanderson’s England jersey hangs up alongside all the other international jerseys worn by alumni of the school in the dining hall of the boarding house.
“I never thought I’d be playing under him (Sanderson). He is a very good character and very open when he speaks to you,” he said. “He tells you what you need to do to get into the team and always wants to bring the young lads through.”