It was a frustrating evening last Friday for everyone in a Sharks shirt as Exeter came back from 20 points behind to snatch a win. But Sale scrum-half Gus Warr says tonight’s Investec Champions Cup opener against a Glasgow packed with his Scotland teammates is the perfect chance to get back on track.
And after getting a taste of international rugby in his two caps, there’s added motivation to perform for Gus, who is going head-to-head with his rivals to be Gregor Townsend’s number nine.
“Last week, we let it slip,” Gus said. “We lost control and momentum. Going in at half-time 19–6 up, and then scoring early in the second half, to then let that game slip is not acceptable — we know that.
“Going into the game, we had the right mentality, and even in those last five minutes we were all zoned in to win the game. But when Chiefs scored, all the momentum was theirs and we suddenly had our backs against the wall. It was almost a shock — from being in a strong position in the first half to suddenly trailing.
“A week is a long time in sport to work on the fixes and reframe our mindset for the new challenge ahead. We’ve had those conversations and analysed how we can do our individual roles better. Now it’s all about how we respond and get better off the back of it. It’s time to get back on the horse and play our game, which we know we can.
“Our goal is to right the wrongs of Friday night. There’s no better occasion to do this than by playing against some of the best teams across the URC and Top 14. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a huge challenge — you’re playing against different teams and different styles of play that you’re not familiar with; but that’s the beauty of this competition.
“You get to see where you’re at, and that only motivates you to go out there, dig deep, and not back out of the fight.
“Glasgow are a strong side. They have a strong squad with huge depth. They’re a physical team who like to keep the ball in play and go edge to edge, waiting for the opportunity to break through the defence.
“Sione Tuipulotu, Zander Fagerson, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey — that’s the Scotland back row right there, not to mention their Lions. But seeing these names only drives you on to put your best foot forward. This is a great stage for us as players to get our names back in mind for international duty.
“My battle on Friday night is playing against George Horne and Jamie Dobie. These are two good scrum-halves and they’re in the Scotland shirt at the moment. This is exactly where I want to be competing, so I need to bring my game on Friday night.
“The World Cup is under two years away. I keep in conversation with Gregor (Townsend) about what I’ve got to do to be in contention and how to find my edge to push those lads who are currently in the squad. This all starts with playing well for my club. I need to deliver for myself, for my team and for the club, and then we can see what opportunities arise in the thistle. I would love to be part of the World Cup — who wouldn’t? It’s a dream, but I need to deliver to put myself in that frame.”
