Ahead of Saints’ Aviva Premiership fixture with Sale this weekend, lock Christian Day is keen to stress that the team are not taking the challenge lightly.
The two clubs are locked in the battle for the top four, with just three points between them in the Aviva Premiership table. And while the Saints have the edge in the standings Day is well aware of the threats that will be posed by a Sharks outfit that has secured some good results so far in 2016.
“The message in the camp all week has been that Sale are not to be underestimated,” the lock told SaintsTV. “They’re a good team in good form having beaten three of the top four and drawn with the other, so we’re taking them very seriously.”
Day spent his formative years at Sale, and although he wants a win for the Saints tomorrow he is pleased to see the progress that the Sharks have made over the past few seasons.
“I think it’s great for Premiership rugby that teams in the north are successful,” he says. “The north-west is a huge rugby area, and Sale should be doing well with that kind of catchment area for their academy. They’ve lost a few guys this year due to other clubs coming in for them, but I sincerely hope that they keep on doing well.”
Sale may be in good form, but so are the Saints, with four wins from their last five matches, including last Saturday’s success against Saracens. Day says that it is important to continue that form from Allianz Park on home turf this weekend, adding: “To pick up four points at Saracens was a big result for us and we need to make sure we back that up this weekend and not slip up, especially with the table as tight as it is.
“We’ve lost games on the last play of the game several times this season, and you’ve only got to come out on the wrong end of those results two or three times and all of a sudden you’re not where you want to be in the table. Recently though we’ve been able to win those games by margins that we’re a bit happier about.”
Every voice counts in the chase for the Aviva Premiership semi-finals, and you can make the difference by getting behind the team when they take on the Sharks on March 12th.
Book tickets online at www.tinyurl.com/SAI-SAL-1516 and use Print@Home to save the admin fees and beat the match day queues!
And don’t forget that England’s Six Nations match against Wales will be shown live from Twickenham in the bars straight after the end of the Saints’ game.
