The celebrated Leicester, Wasps, Saracens and, going back a bit, Bath teams receive endless lavish praise and eulogies to their greatness but I’m not sure that Sale’s class of 2006 ever get the kudos they deserve, particularly their pack which I would contend was, for a short time, the equal of any Premiership pack we have seen.
They didn’t enjoy the dynastic longevity of the others, I guess that’s the reason, but again that depends from which angle you view their trajectory. It’s true Sale didn’t kick on to even greater glories but people tend to forget what preceded their Championship winning season – 2006 was a final summit push and bid for ultimate glory not a base camp.
In the early noughties, lest we forget, Sale won two European Challenge Cup trophies in brilliant style, beating Pontypridd in 2002 and Pau in 2005, both finals being at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford.
They could also reflect on second, third and fourth placed finishes in the Premiership, the former before the play-offs were introduced so in effect a runners-up spot. Sale could be a little erratic but great entertainers – how could it be otherwise with the likes of Jason Robinson, Mark Cueto and Steven Hanley out wide – and a half-back pairing of Richard Wigglesworth and Charlie Hodgson putting them in prime attacking areas.
この記事は The Rugby Paper の May 21, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は The Rugby Paper の May 21, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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