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The 10am call an upset Sale gave referee Ian Tempest last Sunday

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Sale boss Alex Sanderson has revealed he was on the phone venting to referee Ian Tempest the morning after last weekend’s dramatic Gallagher Premiership at Northampton. The second-place Sharks had built an impressive 24-7 half-time lead despite the early red-carding of Manu Tuilagi. They went on to lead 34-19 with 20 minutes remaining despite a Cobus Wiese sin-binning but they then lost momentum, eventually losing 34-38 in a fiercely entertaining match during which they suffered a critical Ewan Ashman yellow card on 67 minutes.

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The setback upset Sanderson and he was on the blower on Sunday morning to talk things through with Tempest before then forwarding a series of clips from the Sale game for review by the referees’ group at the RFU. The feedback that resulted was that the Manchester side was extremely unfortunate, but England Rugby HQ stood by the decisions taken by their officials at Franklin’s Gardens.

“It’s done now and I’m trying not to keep carrying it but the communication between myself, Ian Tempest, (referees boss) Paul Hull and every other ref before this weekend has been nothing short of brilliant,” said Sanderson ahead of this Sunday’s trip to Exeter where Luke Pearce will be in charge.

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The feedback that we got was that it was extremely unfortunate that all the big decisions went against Sale… If that is how they are going to see the game I have got to coach accordingly.

“Their openness to speak post-game, to speak pre-game… I rang up Ian at 10 o’clock on Sunday morning because I was still carrying it and he answered the phone on his day off – and it’s his day with his family. That’s brilliant. We talked around the issues and I vented a bit and he’d tell me how he saw it and then I sent the clips through on Monday.

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“There’s none of that process that I found frustrating from the weekend. It was just the inconsistency of some of the decisions, the inconsistency because they weren’t all bad by any stretch. It was a great game to watch. But for us to get it that wrong and the admittance that all the big decisions went against us, I guess the blame has to fall on us. We weren’t either coaching it correctly or weren’t clear enough as to the pictures they wanted to see.

Sanderson, who has been in charge at Sale since January 2021, went on to explain the current lines of communication between Premiership teams and referees during the 2022/23 season. “There is more forum for communication this year which has been beneficial,” he said. “It has certainly benefited us in our understanding and the improvement in the discipline.

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“So you are able to speak to them up to 48 hours before a game. There is some leeway, you are able to send clips through about the opposition to get clarity as to what their perception of certain infringements are. Also, in terms of us, we like the refs to speak to the opposition about the clips we send through, so it’s not just a case of catching people out. We want the whistle to blow less and for the referee to have less impact on the outcome of the game. That is the pre-game process.

“Post-game you can send up to eight clips in within 24 hours and what I have been doing personally is generally calling the refs up and having a conversation, like a 360 feedback on what he perceived and also our perceptions or feelings of how it was reffed and how it was communicated on the field because that relationship is also important.

“And then on the back of that, you will get feedback on the clips we send in… I might add I haven’t sent in any clips post-game this season until this week at which point there were wholly disregarded. It just means I need to improve my communication with them so I understand.”

Sanderson added that it would a positive for the sport as a spectacle if non-working referees could potentially work with broadcasters during a match to explain decisions as they happen. “Definitely. We have 45 players, some of them who have played for up to 20 years, and we still get refs in consistently so they can communicate what they are seeing, what the directives are from World Rugby.

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“Sometimes it shifts within the 3,000 laws that there are what they are looking to emphasize because the game takes on trends as does the refereeing of certain aspects of the game, general set-piece and breakdown. There is a constant re-education of our players and they are on the coalface.

“Like when Wayne Barnes goes onto Rugby Tonight and they talk through certain decisions, whether or not they can explain it or there is a referee as part of the commentary and they could talk them on certain decisions from a referee’s perspective to tell the audience, to tell the people so there is a better connection there as to what is going on. Like I say, I probably need a bit of that myself.”

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Brett 879 days ago

Your process is fantastic and wish we in Water Polo could have these lines of open, honest communication.

Regarding having ref on TV, this works. We have done this at tournaments and it helps crowds understand.

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Soliloquin 21 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

For Fischer, many people in France are still doubting him - it’s the first time he has a full season (31 games). Before, he was always injured at some point. He’s 27, so not the youngest, and you have a younger Boudehent or Jégou behind.

His physicality is incredible, but he didn’t prove he’s got hands. He just proved he was able to defend like a beast.

But you know, even Cros has improved his handling skills lately, so it’s never too late!

And he will play the Champions Cup with a solid Bayonne side, so let’s see!


I don’t agree with ‘only Fischer’: Brennan proved he’s a great 4/7 utility player, and Galthié likes those very much (Woki or Flament). He’s 23, playing for Toulouse with high concurrence, so the prospect is good. I rate him higher than Auradou, who had a few games in the 6 Nations.

For Depoortère, he had a more silent season than the previous one - injured at the worst moment during the Autumn Tests series - but came back strong with a Champions Cup and a solid partnership with Moefana. What could save him would be to start playing as a 12 when Moefana isn’t there, bulking up and become the new Jauzion.

But he’s 22 and an incredible talent at 13. His height makes me think he had more potential than your fan favorite Costes or the utility player that is Gailleton.


As for Montagne or Mallez, with the lack of quality in props, they could find a spot!

Especially Mallez who’s got a good spot to get behind Baille at Toulouse. Neti isn’t the youngest and hasn’t an international level.


And again, as Ugo Mola said, you never play with your best team.

So 30-32 player is more of a 38-40, so you need back-ups.

France knows very well how useful they can be during RWCs.

233 Go to comments
S
Soliloquin 38 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Hastoy was a good prospect before the 2023 RWC, he was the fly-half who led La Rochelle to the victory in the Champions Cup final in Dublin against Leinster.

But he made it to the squad only because Ntamack got his ACL.

He played against Uruguay, which a terribly poor game by the French side, and since then he declined a bit, alongside his club.

Under the pressure of Reus and West at 10, he regained some credit at the end of the season (among all a drop at the 81st minute of a game).

He’s quite good everywhere, but not outstanding.

He doesn’t have the nerves, the defense and the tactical brain of Ntamack, the leadership and the creativity of Ramos or the exceptional attacking skills of Jalibert.


I really hope that:

-Ntamack will get his knee back. The surgery went well. He wasn’t the most elusive player in the world, but he was capable of amazing rushes like the one against NZ in 2021 or the Brennus-winning try in 2023.

-Jalibert will continue to improve his defense. He started working hard since March (after his defensive disaster against England) with a XIII specialist, and I’ve seen great moments, especially against Ntamack in the SF of the Champions Cup. It’s never too late. And it would be a great signal for Galthié.

-Hastoy will build up his partnership with Le Garrec, that La Rochelle will start a new phase with them and Niniashvili, Alldritt, Atonio, Boudehent, Jegou, Bosmorin, Bourgarit, Nowell, Wardi, Daunivucu, Kaddouri, Pacôme…

233 Go to comments
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