Croall looks to make a splash for Sale
Since Aston Croall came over from Harlequins, he's hadhis mind set on making a change and helping turn Sale into a rugby contender.
Croall has signed a long term deal with the club, which seems to hint at the fact that he was inspired by the vision that Sale have for the future. The move will please all Sale fans that may have been worrying about the squad's lack of depth by the time the Premiership season starts.
Croall was struggling to make an impact at Harlequins and was not a first team regular. It also seems that he was one of the players who felt greatly let down by the 'Bloodgate affair', which seemed to dent the confidence that many players had in the club.
He arrives at Sale with a number of qualities that will help him as he tries to settle in at his new team. Obviously it will take him a few training sessions and maybe a few matches before he gets into full swing but Sale have signed a very good player.
Positives
Croall's main attribute is his versatility. His favoured position seems to be at prop but he can easily cover as a hooker. This means he will add a real feeling of depth to the Sale squad and it will mean that players can put more effort into games and not worry about possible injury having an impact on the team.
He is not a player that you mess with. He stands as a very big unit and this will make him very intimidating to play against. He can use this to get behind the team and add extra weight onto the end of the pack and he is also likely to be one of the players used in a scrum to either try and win the ball back or gain territory.
Croall is deceptively quick and fit. These are two virtues, which will mean that he can carry on having an impact late into a game. His fitness will allow him to concentrate for slightly longer than players in many other sides will do and this could mean that he bursts forward late on.
Long-Term
The long term nature of Croall's deal suggests that Sale have real confidence and faith in his ability as a player. The majority of signings that rugby fans are seeing at the moment are around the one year or year and a half mark and very few players are signing long contracts.
This could also suggest that Croall sees himself finishing his career at the club. He will be 28 by the time this deal runs out and if he has performed well then he will be offered a fresh deal, which would most likely keep him at the club until he retires.
This could be a very early hint at the point that Sale may see him as the type of individual who could be kept on at the club after he retires to help in a coaching role. It is unlikely that the player is thinking this far ahead at this moment in time but it's something for him to work towards and focus on.
Betting Advice
Croall does not play in an advanced and attacking position so be very wary about backing him early on in a game to score any tries. He could do late on but this depends on the match situation and the fitness of players in the side that Sale are playing against. You can now also bet confidently on the fact that Sale are not going to be relegated next season.
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