Andy Titterall will miss the first month of the new season after undergoing a neck operation to repair a decompression of two discs in his neck. The Sale Sharks pplayer toured Australia with England and was injured before the second test.
He said, " I am disappointed, but its all part of the game and I have to get on with things as best I can. I'll miss the pre season friendly fixtures and am hoping to be back in contention early in October"
He added, "This season will be tough for us because as Champions, every team will be out to beat us. The squad are all working hard in training, and the boys are confident of being able to challenge for the title again."
Firstly, is Andy Titterall's injury a blow to Sale's aspirations?
Secondly, your comments are invited on the last sentence in particular, considering many on here are confident of Tigers winning the Premiership this coming season?
Simon, I am pleased many are confident but I am still concerned re our team when Intls are on and a lot will depend on improving our away record and injuries.
Firstly. as I often say, one player does not make a team. AT is a very good player, BUT Sale is a very good team, even without him, and once again, whatever happens to AT, they are going to be difficult to beat, once again. ;)
I personally don't care if Tigers win the Premiership. I just want them to win that silly little match at the end of the season which gives us the title of champions. I personally wouldn't say many are DEEPLY confident that Tigers WILL win that game, but, at least for me, it's a mixture of BELIEF / FAITH in the quality of the team we have and HOPE that we perform in the important games like we did a few years ago. That mixture is for me, what this confidence is. It's kind of like religion, but I'm not going there!! ;)
A very good post Pellsey. Like you say, Sale still have a very good team without AT and will be hard to beat.
In my second point I really meant winning the Premiership or being champions after the play-offs. Sorry for my lack of clarification. And I have probably misjudged the views on this forum. To put it better, as you say, more belief /faith that the team we have can win itg and that we can rediscover the belief and performance in the big games we had a few years ago. I wish I could believe more myself. I have got us winning the Anglo Welsh, or Mickey Mouse Cup, as some put it. I haven't been a total doom and gloom merchant!
Bob, that was a very good post of yours too. Yes, we need to perform better when the Internationals are on and need to improve our away record although in the end it wasn't bad and also have more luck with avoiding injuries.
I suppose losing Charlie Hodgson say for a month or so would make more of a difference to Sale as he is their regular kicker and one of if not their best playmaker.
salcombe bob wrote:Simon, I am pleased many are confident but I am still concerned re our team when Intls are on and a lot will depend on improving our away record and injuries.
I'd say another year in transition...I think, however, if it clicks we might just come good at exactly the right time.
Fitness will have a massive bearing on this.
Sale were worthy champions last year, I can see them repeating it.
RoyalBluestuey, i like what you say i too think we will have another season of transition . When everything is sorted out long term with regard to the coaching and groundshare/redevelopment i think you will see us go then but you still won,t see me at the payoff final :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
I knew what you meant about the Premiership. ;) I just loath the play off system and enjoy any possibility to express my distain for it ;)
Jess and Simon, I completely agree about Sale having possible problems. shame ;) Leicester will not be at full strength either, but assuming we don't have many injuries this season, I think we can pull through. Tiger will lose Murphy, Ellis (maybe Bemond too :S ) Varndell, Corry, Castrogiovani and Moody, and then possibly White, Chuter, Goode, Deacon and Kay. But I can't see all of them going. For Murphy, we have Vesty.. a very good player. Even if Ellis and Bemond do go, we would also have Frank Murphy who is supposed to be very good. For Varndell, there are still Tuilagi and Rabini, so still good players... For Corry we now have Crane... not too bad either. B Deacon for Moody. Rowntree, Holford and Ayerza are still good props which will be available, and then Hickie and Buckland as hookers... stil pretty good. If we lose Goode though, (which I hope we don't, as he may lose confidence again with England), we may have a problem :( In the second row we will still have Cullen and Hamilton.
Those players might not be out first choice, but are still very good players. Sale will lose a number of players as will Barf. Saints will probably not lose too many and will have an advantage ;)
As daft as this may sound to some but what about if by some chance we lost Ollie to the internationals? Don't forget we also have Matt Cornwell and a few others playing for the Under21s. Is it fanciful to suggest that Dan Hipkiss may one day be involved in an England XV? Also, you haven't accounted for Shane Jennings!
It all goes to show how difficult it is for many Premiership clubs but particularly Tigers to fill in the gaps whilst Internationals are on.
No cover for Andy? Maybe Paul Burke or Ian Humphries will surprise us!
You never know!
ALECW wrote:RoyalBluestuey, i like what you say i too think we will have another season of transition . When everything is sorted out long term with regard to the coaching and groundshare/redevelopment i think you will see us go then but you still won,t see me at the payoff final :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
I admire your convictions.
It's ace the way a Tigers transitional period involves us coming second in domestic cup and league.
Shane Jennings is a quality player, but at the moment, I don't think he will be with Ireland... for two reasons. The Irish number 7, Wallace, is fantastic, and I don't think Jennings will be picked over him. The second reason is that I get the impression that the Irish coach doesn't like picking outside Ireland.
I think Ollie is returning to form at the moment, and normally I would want him to play for England. Unfortunately I don't want his form to suffer like a number of other players' so I'm trying to keep that thought out of my head. ;) If it happened though, Gibbo and Hipkiss at the centres would still be quite fiery. I think they would actually work very well together as Hipkiss likes the glory and Gibbo likes creating glory ;)
I hope that Ian Humphries and Burke do come through and provide decent competition for Andy. Not sure yet though ;)
I think Tigers will have a fair crack at it next year. I don't believe in the transitional period anymore. That was our excuse in 2004. It doesn't stick anymore!!
Also, you haven't accounted for Shane Jennings!