After a mixed start to the season Charlie Hodgson and Shark’s teammate Ben Cohen are targeting the busy festive period as a time to get wins on the board and make their move up the premiership table.
Speaking at the Governors House hosted by Greene King IPA, the Official Beer of Sale Sharks, the England-duo spoke about the need to get their campaign back on track and build on a promising opening.
Sharks lost four league games in a row, a run that Cohen believes had a lot to do with the absence of talismanic fly half Hodgson, “We got off to a good start with a win at home to Leicester and a draw away to Newcastle but then we lost Charlie. He is part of the team’s spine and it was a big blow for us”.
Whilst they may have suffered an early-season blip in form, Hodgson remains focused on the goals that they set out to achieve before the start of the season, “The goals stay the same, it’s still very early in the season and there is a lot of rugby left to be played”.
A look at the current premiership standings shows how tight the race for Twickenham currently is. The players know the importance of stringing a few wins together over Christmas and New Year. Cohen said, “The league is so tight this year that a couple of wins can see you soar up the table. With the games coming thick and fast the players know what they need to do.”
Hodgson and Cohen have, during the course of their careers, played on the same team as new coach Jason Robinson for Sale and England respectively. Working under their ex-teammate has been an enjoyable experience and they believe he is capable of great things at Sale. Hodgson said, “He was a world-class player and whilst his role may have changed, his passion for the game still remains”.
If Robinson, the coach, is as successful as Robinson, the player, the Sharks faithful may well be in for an exciting few years.
If you were lucky enough to attend the event at the Governors House and have a pint with Charlie and Ben then you can download your photo with the guys here for free.
All you need to do is click here
