Sale Sharks head to the Parc des Sports Marcel-Michelin on Saturday still searching for a win after four straight defeats, but with a measure of relief after Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson confirmed that George Ford\u2019s recent injury scare is far from season-defining.<\/p>\n
Join RUCK\u2019s Instagram broadcast channel <\/a>and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.<\/p>\n Ford, recently named Quilter Nations Series Player of the Tournament, won\u2019t make the field in France and us stood down from action for now \u2014 but the outlook is considerably brighter than first feared.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nothing long-term, he\u2019s still ongoing through fitness tests, I can\u2019t see him making the field this week but comparing what it could have been to what it is, we feel extremely lucky that he\u2019s got away with something that could have been more serious,\u201d Sanderson said. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be serious, it\u2019s not going to be long, a week or two at most.\u201d<\/p>\n The fly-half has been managing an abductor strain, missing last weekend\u2019s game against Glasgow, and while he is already back running and testing strongly, Sale will err on the side of caution.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s some kind of abductor strain, he\u2019s had it scanned. All his metrics are great, he\u2019s in the gym, he\u2019s testing really well, he\u2019s running. But once you\u2019ve scanned it and there\u2019s something there, we are ethically bound to make sure that it doesn\u2019t become something bigger. Just looking after him really.\u201d<\/p>\n Sale\u2019s recent run of losses has come with important context. One-point defeats away to Leicester Tigers and at home to Exeter Chiefs underline how fine the margins have been, and last weekend\u2019s performance away to Glasgow \u2014 with a heavily rotated side hit by injuries to the likes of Joe Carpenter and Tom Roebuck \u2014 reinforced to Sanderson that his squad is still trending in the right direction.<\/p>\n \u201cVery much encouraged by how competitive we were against basically the Scottish team last week given our injury status\u2026 I thought the team stood up,\u201d he reflected. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you look at those performances in isolation, two [defeats] that have been by one point, I reckon we could be fourth in the table but the outcome of our league positions shows that we\u2019re eighth [seventh].\u201d<\/p>\n Amid the grind of a difficult injury run and a brutal fixture list, Sanderson emphasised the importance of maintaining a positive environment for his players.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want them to enjoy their lives, you want them to enjoy the time they have. It should be the best time of their lives. You want to create that atmosphere for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Now comes a different kind of challenge: a notoriously hostile trip to France, where Clermont-Auvergne\u2019s home crowd rarely requires much encouragement to turn the volume up. For Sanderson, that energy is something to embrace \u2014 especially for the younger players stepping into big roles.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more hostility, the more partisan the crowd, the better for me,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s two ways you can go, it just energises me and I\u2019m sure it will for the lads, it\u2019s invaluable for some of these younger lads who have to step in and get this experience, for them to feel that.\u201d<\/p>\n The key, he insists, will be denying Clermont a foothold in the collisions and the set-piece.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you let them get dominance in the set piece and around the gain line then they\u2019ll have a field day and the crowd will start banging their drums and then it feels like it\u2019s you against the world. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting excited just talking about it. We\u2019ve got a tough job to do but I\u2019m confident the lads will step up, be physical and enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n EDITORS PICKS:<\/p>\n 2027 Rugby World Cup draw confirmed: <\/p>\n Each of the six pools\u00a0featured\u00a0a team from Bands 1, 2, 3 and 4.<\/p>\n The confirmed Bands based on rankings\u00a0were:<\/p>\n Band 1:\u00a0South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Argentina 2027 Rugby World Cup draw:<\/p>\n Pool A<\/p>\n New Zealand\u00a0\u2013 Perennial contenders with flair, power and unmatched rugby IQ. Pool B<\/p>\n South Africa\u00a0\u2013 Brutal, relentless, and brutally efficient\u2014never count them out. Pool C<\/p>\n Argentina\u00a0\u2013 Dynamic, crafty, and fiercely competitive with a never-say-die spirit. CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n
Band 2:\u00a0Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales, Japan
Band 3:\u00a0Georgia, Uruguay, Spain, USA, Chile, Tonga
Band 4:\u00a0Samoa, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong China, Zimbabwe, Canada<\/p>\n
Australia\u00a0\u2013 Unpredictable but dangerous, capable of brilliance on their day.
Chile\u00a0\u2013 Fast-improving newcomers bringing passion and fearless physicality.
Hong Kong China\u00a0\u2013 Skillful, energetic, and eager to prove themselves on the global stage.<\/p>\n
Italy\u00a0\u2013 Developing rapidly, mixing strong set-piece work with expanding ambition.
Georgia\u00a0\u2013 Scrum specialists with raw forward strength and growing all-round polish.
Romania\u00a0\u2013 Proud and powerful, known for toughness and unwavering fight.<\/p>\n
Fiji\u00a0\u2013 Magical offloads, searing pace, and unique unpredictability.
Spain\u00a0\u2013 Determined climbers building consistency and confidence every year.
Canada\u00a0\u2013 Physical and committed, working to regain their traditional sharpness.<\/p>\n