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The Sharks battling against the Saints last Sunday

The only way is up for Sale Sharks

Monday, March 8th 2010

Kingsley Jones admitted to be hurting inside after a 15 - 7 loss against Northampton Saints at Edgeley Park on Sunday afternoon; a defeat that took Sale Sharks to the bottom of the Guinness Premiership.

In a post match press conference Director of Rugby, Jones said, “I’ve been here six years now. I’ve been at the top and it’s an easy place to be. But at the moment we’re at the bottom. It’s a big challenge for us and I’m not afraid to face up to that.We’ve got a game in hand that could take us up the table. We have to keep getting better.”

The second half saw the Sharks battle many attempts to convert opportunities into tries and Kingsley admitted, “Our discipline let us down against Northampton today. Our set piece did improve today and we caused Northampton problems in their line out. It was a tight game. We created opportunities and Northampton finished them.”

“One thing that is for certain is that the performance from the team was much better. Obviously, the result is bad news and we haven’t got a point out of it, but I am fully confident that the only way is up. We will get up this table.”

After a week of Premiership battles the Sharks sit in 12th place with 23 points, Worcester Warriors are one place above with 25 points, Leeds Carnegie managed to get a win against Saracens to put them into 10th place with 27 points and Newcastle Falcons have just 28 points in 9th position. Jones said, “We are where we and we have to stay positive, keep working hard and crack on with the next seven games we have left in this season”.

“Confidence is hard to change. We need to get a win. They work hand in hand: winning and confidence. We just have to keep believing in what we’re doing and keep grafting.”

Sale Sharks next home game will be against London Wasps on Friday 19th March, kick off 7.45pm. Jones said, “We’ve got twelve days now to prepare for Wasps. It will be a home game that will be tough. As I say, there are sides above us that we could leap-frog in one win.”

“Our next four home games are simply must-wins. We have to be positive but realistic. We are where we are and it’s a tough place to be. You get a couple of wins and things change. The Premiership is that tight. It will go down to the last game of the season. We will still be here panicking right to the end. And when I say panicking, I’m sure we all are; Worcester, Leeds and Newcastle too. That’s the beauty of the Premiership: It’s very very tight.”