Alex Sanderson announced that Sale Sharks players Tom Roebuck and Ben Curry might be ready for the commencement of the Six Nations tournament, though England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, will make the ultimate determination.
Sanderson, who is the Sharks’ director of rugby, intends to converse with Borthwick concerning England’s medical strategies for these two athletes, especially with their initial Six Nations game versus Wales scheduled for February 7. Roebuck sustained a fractured toe during the Autumn international fixture against New Zealand, and Curry has been struggling with a hamstring injury.
Sanderson stated: “Should Tom recover before the Six Nations – which is a possibility – that would be ahead of schedule. Ben Curry is also targeting fitness for the Six Nations, and if we accelerate both of them, they might feature in the Northampton match (January 24). I’ve received two missed calls from Steve Borthwick and need to ascertain his intentions. The decision likely rests with England since both are EPS players, and if deemed advantageous, they could participate against Saints or proceed directly to the England training camp.”
Sanderson, whose team is traveling to Bristol with the goal of expanding upon their victory against Harlequins, shared more positive updates regarding England tighthead prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour, who may be approximately seven days from returning to play after hyperextending his elbow joint during the initial scrum of Sale’s Premiership loss to Exeter Chiefs, commenting: “Asher might be back in about a week and engaged in some spirited live scrummaging opposite Bevan Rodd today, which was quite intense.”
Sanderson dismissed reports suggesting he intended to bring back World Cup champion Faf de Klerk, who has been competing in Japan, while simultaneously expressing his desire to present a contract offer to Dan du Preez, whom RugbyPass indicated is sought after by Bath and clubs in the Top 14. He remarked: “I haven’t engaged in discussions or negotiations with Faf; it’s likely an agent attempting to generate buzz. Dan du Preez and we have been transparent, advising him to explore all his options, and we would like to extend an offer, especially since Bath has shown interest. My ambition is to retain him, but this must be reconciled with his game time, and he is nearing his return from injury. I’m pleased that other parties are also pursuing him, not just us.”
Last season, Sale delivered a remarkable display, securing a 38-0 victory in Bristol, but Sanderson remains cautious about the offensive power of the West Country team, stating: “We need to follow up on our win against Quins, but Bristol possesses the capability to produce sudden, unexpected scores. Our upcoming match in Bristol feels somewhat decisive for us.”
