Friday 18 September 2009 - Blog for Bath game

The team faced Newcastle Falcons last weekend and the lads came away with a draw but the win was there for the taking. We gained strength in the second half, more shape, more purpose but didn't quite have the power to pull it off. I spoke to Andrew Sheridan after the game and asked about his scrum encounters with Carl Hayman. He said it had been ‘very interesting' and he'd enjoyed it and overall it was a very good experience for him. Rather him than me, Hayman is huge. Having said that, if Andrew stands in a doorway the only space around him are the little gaps down by his ankles and at either side of his head. Absolutely lovely bloke, a quiet giant.

Sale Sharks face Worcester Warriors away next week and this is probably the most popular GP away trip for Sale Sharks supporters. Last season over 200 made the trip to Sixways for the re-arranged fixture and they well and truly out-shouted the home support, encouraging the team onto a 37-20 point win. A small group of us met up with our Worcester supporting friends both before and after the game and we had a wonderful day. This time Worcester will be very busy because as well as the rugby there are both cricket and horse racing on over the weekend, so if you're still dithering about going you'd better be quick.

Are you going over to Toulouse? You are? Ooh good, you'll have a great time as Toulouse is lovely, full of history, architecture, and good food and drink. Have you got everything booked and sorted? Are you sure? Better to be safe than sorry. Have you double checked everything – dates and times, reservations – and don't forget to print off your confirmations too just in case there is a problem. If you're only taking hand luggage have you got one of those clear zip-lock bags for your toiletries? I hope so as the French security people can be really keen. Our was about two inches over the regulation size and they said it was too big so we had to buy a new one from their desk then mess about swapping things over. Oh, and I sincerely hope the security lady who said my Vidal Sassoon hair stuff was in too big a bottle and then pocketed it, (it wasn't otherwise I wouldn't have taken it. I'd only used it twice and it cost twelve quid!) had her roots done before using it.

Are you taking a suitcase for the hold or just a bag to carry on? Don't forget that even though they sell wine at the airport it is highly unlikely that you won't be able to bring it home in your hand luggage and they'll take it off you. We had this problem at Nimes airport after buying a few bottles of Pic St Loup in Nimes and we ended up paying an extra 12euros to put the bag in the hold. It was worth it, the wine was beautiful. Just got hand luggage? Then get onto the plane as quickly as you can, so you can be sure that you'll be able to get your bag in the overhead locker over your seat, otherwise it'll end up stuck at the back of the plane, crammed into a space the size of a match box. That's one of the bonuses of paying extra for priority boarding, plus you can often get the extra legroom emergency exit seats.

Have you packed plenty of warm clothes so you can layer up? It can get quite cold in Toulouse in October so don't get caught out. I managed to drop one of my very cosy Sale Sharks fleece gloves twice last time I was over in Toulouse, yet luckily it was found both times and handed back to me. Mind you, it was in Trevor Brennan's pub on both occasions! Look out for the woman with her gloves now on string like a small child… Having mentioned cold weather you can never be sure what will happen. When we went over to Montpellier for the ECC game in January 2008 it was over 20 degrees Celsius and we were all in shirt-sleeve order, our jumpers left in our rooms. The locals still stuck with their coats and scarves, looking at us as if we were mad.

So, come 6am on Friday 9 th October I'll double and triple-check that I've got everything, even though I'll have done it many times the night before. There's the car park information, passports, euros, flight confirmations and fast-track security passes along with train tickets and hotel information to get sorted. I think that's all of it but I'll just check again to make sure. Oh, and when you're waiting to board the plane look out for the woman with her fleecy gloves on string. The one in ‘Priority', with the red hair and the slightly manic look in her eye. She's got elbows like Schoey-O in a ruck and there aren't many who survive trying to get on a plane before her. You have been warned.

Friday 4th September 2009 - Blog for Leicester Game

Well, Happy New Season! What did you do during the summer? Did you go on holiday? There hasn't been much chance of sunbathing here in the UK - the downpours would have washed you and your lounger away. Perhaps you were one of the supporters who went over to France for the Challenge Vaquerin tournament that Sale Sharks competed in, or you ventured even further afield and went to South Africa to watch the Lions in action. However you spent the summer I hope you are well rested and ready for the season ahead.

I would like to welcome our signings Ben Cohen, David Bishop, Gavin Kerr, Sisaro Kayamaibole, Mahonri Schwalger, Marika Vakacegu, Jack Forster and David Seymour. I hope your time with Sale Sharks is an enjoyable one and that we see more silverware at Edgeley Park in the future. Kingsley rates the Sale Sharks supporters and the efforts they put in, following the team both at home and away and they will all be hoping that we see some fantastic performances from the team this season.

The summer also saw the draws for the Anglo Welsh and Heineken Cup competitions. In the Anglo Welsh we face Newport Gwent Dragons (A), Leeds Carnegie (H), Northampton Saints (H) and Bath Rugby (A). I think that this competition will see some of the younger squad members taking centre stage and they'll get some good experience against these teams.

In the Heineken Cup we have a tough group, drawn against Toulouse, Cardiff Blues and Harlequins. During the summer I spent some time, well ages really, working out fixture permutations for each weekend as well at looking at the logistics of travelling to Toulouse, Cardiff and Harlequins. I know it's a bit geeky but it's better to be prepared than miss out as once the actual dates are announced it sparks an online equivalent of a piranha feeding frenzy on both airline and hotel websites. I have been to all three places before so this makes organising things and making decisions easier for me, as I have that previous experience to call on. Transport wise budget airlines have a knack of reducing their flight schedules for winter so to get Toulouse at the beginning of October was a real bonus, as supporters still have plenty of 'getting there' options. The dates of the fixtures were released just before lunchtime on 23 rd July and by tea time that day over 30 people had booked and sorted their trip to Toulouse, including yours truly of course! Less that a week later number were up to 80 travellers and now is around 120. If you are still thinking of going, Roger (the Sale Sharks Supporters Club Overseas Travel Guru) has arranged a reduced rate at the Kyriad Hotel in Toulouse. All the information you need to get you through the weekend including transport, pubs and general information can be found on the Sale Sharks message board at www.salerugby.co.uk .

Both Cardiff Blues and Harlequins are driveable for most, which will save a heck of a lot of money compared to last year's HC campaign when the travelling masses faced three expensive overseas trips. I think that's what sparked the credit crunch. Well it did in our house anyway. For the Harlequins game on Sunday 13 th December (1:45pm k-o) we'll probably drive down and stay over Saturday and Sunday night. There's no decision as to when the remaining away game against Cardiff Blues will be played until after the fourth round so I'm hoping for either Friday or Saturday as we had such a good time in the Old Arcade and the City Arms last time we were there.

Next week sees our annual visit to the North East and Kingston Park, home of Newcastle Falcons, driving rain and howling winds. Last season we won for the first time since Swanny was a lad and I hope we do the same this time. Last season the weather was horrendous with severe flooding in many areas of the North East, and the fear that the game could be called off was very real indeed. The ground staff did the club proud, and the travelling supporters set off in good time and all made it to Kingston Park for the glorious win, even the family whose 2½ hour journey turned into a 7 hour trek due to flooding, damaged bridges and a water-logged car engine. That's real commitment or it could be insanity - remember we are Sale Sharks supporters after all and a hefty dose of each is required to cope with all eventualities.

Blood capsules from a joke shop may be funny in the right circumstances but Dean Richards isn't laughing any more. The details of the whole sorry affair are now floating to the surface and there are more casualties than in the first five minutes of Saving Private Ryan. The whole elaborate charade was brought to the attention of the authorities by just one wink and what a sorry state Harlequins are now in, their dirty washing hung out for all to see. This is something that will taint the image of rugby union and I hope that lessons are learned and people considering such behaviour realise that they will face very stiff penalties indeed. I just hope their supporters don't feel too betrayed.