Premiership
‘There is a brilliant buzz’: Rogerson on defence, clinical attack and current form
London Irish captain Matt Rogerson has relayed the “brilliant buzz” from within the Exiles’ camp at present, following on from a 25-10 victory over Bath Rugby.
Rogerson played a physical and crucial role in picking up four points for his team in his 73 minutes at the Recreation Ground on Saturday, Irish’s first win there since 2009.
Tries from half-back duo Paddy Jackson and Ben White, as well as Benhard Janse van Rensburg’s score, brought Irish ahead in the West Country for the headline win.
A determination to end Irish’s barren run away from home against Bath was a key energiser for Declan Kidney’s travelling party in Round 17 of the Gallagher Premiership, Rogerson explicated.
“We hadn’t won there in a long time, which was a big motivator for us going into the game,” he told.
“We wanted to come and get a result but we know how difficult a place it is to do that, so the me and the boys are very pleased.”
The Club skipper maintains that taking a lead into the break, despite it being just a two-point advantage at 12-10, played a prominent part in the psychology of both teams for the game’s remainder.
“We had to work very hard for that lead at half-time, Bath put an awful lot of pressure on us in our own 22 and we thought by half-time that we didn’t exit as well as we could.
“A couple of times we might have been able to put the ball out to the lads to relieve some pressure and allow them to bring it back to us, or we made some errors and they got the turnover from that.
“We did invite pressure onto ourselves, but equally we defended brilliantly to keep them out and score some points of our own.
“To go in at half-time with the lead would have taken the wind out of their sails a bit after they took the lead themselves, and it gave us confidence.”
With Bath players being sent to the sin bin on three occasions, those in Blue, Black and White were tasked with facing an onrushing Irish side looking to end their 14-year hoodoo at the Rec.
Rogerson explains the Exiles’ thought process in making sure their numerical advantage counted in the absence of two opposing players for Janse van Rensburg’s fourth try of the season on the hour.
“There was a lot of conversations going on between myself and the other leadership group; Rob Simmons at the lineout, Paddy [Jackson] moving the backline and we’re always talking about where the spaces are and where opportunities might open up.
“We look at areas where they might be a man short and we still played very tactically in terms of playing territory and not rushing things.
“Eventually avenues open up to exploit, and the boys worked really hard to drive us around the park to help us to a brilliant win.”
As a matchday regular this term, Rogerson went on to corroborate his coach Brad Davis’ recent evaluation of elevated standards throughout the squad this season.
“There’s been a brilliant buzz, and what I think is really amazing about our squad currently is that everyone is pushing each other.
“You can see that by how well we have done in the cup, lads aren’t playing in the Premiership week in, week out are playing brilliantly and putting their hands up for spaces in the Prem.
“It really lifts standards of all the boys playing in Prem, knowing we have to go out and win on the weekends to keep our place in the team.
“I think the competitive nature around the Club is really positive, the lads have been fantastic even if they have not been playing and have helped prep the boys well.
“They’re really buying into that, we’re building something really nice so we’ll keep chipping away and see where that takes us.”
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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
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