Sale gets good news on James Gaskell's injury
Sale Sharks rugby club has been boosted by news that captain James Gaskell did not break his leg during the 28-13 defeat on Sunday by Saracens.
The 20-year-old skipper was taken off of the field during the first-half of play with a suspected broken fibula. However, scans revealed the injury to be nothing more than bad bruising and Gaskell is in
line to play this Friday against Harlequins.
"The good news regarding James is that there is no fracture, or even strain, and it looks like he will have an 80 per
cent chance of being fit to play at home to Harlequins on Friday. The factor that will determine whether James can play will be whether he is able to train,"
said head coach Mike Brewer.
Gaskell is one of the most important players in the club and he is key to the way Sale plays rugby. His position as flanker makes him one of the attacking players in the team.
The news will have a positive effect on the rugby club in different ways. However, Sale cannot risk Gaskell if he is not 100 per cent fit and ready to face Harlequins.
A positive effect
Gaskell is important to the way Sale plays rugby. He is captain at a very young age and this shows that Sale wants to build a team around him. Every player will get a mental lift knowing the captain did
not suffer a leg break.
The coaches do not have to work out a long-term replacement for Gaskell. The other flankers do not possess the same skills as Gaskell, which means the club doesn't have to pick a lower quality player.
There is no reason for Brewer to tweak tactics. When a key player picks up an injury, the coach is often forced to change the way the whole side plays. However, Brewer does not have to change his basic
tactical strategy.
Brewer added: "Had he been ruled out for a week or two I wouldn't have been
overly concerned but, obviously, it is good news that the injury isn't what we first feared."
A fine line
There is a fine line over whether to risk Gaskell for the club's next game. He is the best player in his position in the club but he will not be risked if he does not react
well in training.
If there is the smallest sign that Gaskell is suffering from the bruising to his leg then the club has to start him from the bench. There is no point risking a key player
unless he is one hundred per cent fit.
The player and the club seem positive but it's impossible to predict how the bruising will react to training. The temptation will be to start Gaskell but Brewer has to be
disciplined.
Betting advice
There is no doubt that Gaskell will give Sale a much better chance of beating Harlequins on Friday. However, it is not clear over whether he will start the game in the starting
line up or if he'll come off the bench as an impact substitute.
Gaskell will personally get a lift from this news. He is bound to play some part against Harlequins so back him to score when he gets on. He will be eager and determined
to make an impression because he may have feared a horrific injury that would have kept him out of the game for a long.
Sale is under pressure to get a result so back the team to win this match. Be more wary if you're thinking of backing the side to win the league.
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