Sale Sharks’ Pete Anglesea expresses frustration on 28-20 defeat
Sale Sharks’ head coach Pete Anglesea accepted that he is frustrated after a disappointing 28-20 defeat by the Newport Gwent Dragons in the LV=Cup fixture. Sale Sharks made it to the quarter finals, but they have to work very hard to get to the semi finals,
which mean a victory with a bonus point.
Anglesea admitted, “We didn't start very well in the second half, whether there's a lack belief in there I don't know. We showed glimpses of good stuff but defensive errors against a well drilled Dragons team cost us in the end.”
He believes it was the lack of passion in past two weeks that juiced out against Dragons, to result in a disoriented performance.
Peter Anglesea was an English rugby union player, who always played as a back row for England A, and as a second row player for Sale Sharks. Since then he has been dedicated to the club and is reckoned to be a Sale legend. The 39 year old retired from the
club as a player in the year 2006. He is nicknamed as the Big Red by his club mates. He also serves in the coaching staff for Fylde rugby and Sale FC. He got so involved with his club during his playing days that he could never cap England international team,
but remained a captain for England A till 2003. He took over Sale Sharks as a head coach a month back, after Mike Brewer was sacked for not giving the desired results.
Anglesea has high hopes for the club for the coming quarter finals and believes his side can pull off a good show against the French Giants.
On the other hand Newport Gwent Dragons coach Shaun Connor commended his team’s spirit. There was a point when the Dragons led by 25points, but were shocked when Sharks made a tremendous comeback in second half. Though Sharks couldn’t really produce any
result out of it.
Connor was really electrified and expressed, “What impressed me was the heart out there. There was a 15-minute period at the end where we were just constantly defending.”
He added, “We came here to do a job, we came here to play, we were focused on the game and the boys have delivered."
Connor admitted that after a huge lead in first half, Dragons took the opponent too easy and almost gifted the ball to Sale. And with a side like Sale, it is a very dangerous thing to do.
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