Sale Sharks winger Charlie Ingall hopes his side will be the ones roaring this time around to topple Leicester Tigers this weekend in their hunt for fourth spot in the Aviva Premiership table.
The London-born winger, who featured in Sharks’s rampant 55-12 demolition of Exeter after over two months on the sidelines, believes his sixth-placed Sale’s playoff dream can become reality with a weekend win.
And Ingall, 24, who grabbed a try in the December 30-23 away defeat to Leicester, has indicated Steve Diamond’s side will be looking for a rapid start to have the Tigers cowering from the kick-off.
“We had a slow start to the game then we came out and played well and came back at them,” recalled Ingall, who is back on the bench for the weekend’s game.
“This time we need to really have a good start and to play our normal game and then I think we’ve got a good shot.”
The Tigers were in 10-0 in front inside just 11 minutes last year and a repeat this time would almost certainly spell the end of any lingering hopes Sale had of snatching a playoff spot.
“The intensity at the start of the game is the main thing. They came out firing and we were a bit slow out of the blocks until we started playing our game and getting some points on the board,” said Ingall ruefully.
“We had a great second half so we’re just going to up the intensity on the break and make sure we put them under a bit of pressure.”
Since then, the Sharks have mounted an assault on the Premiership top table and now sit eight points off this weekend’s visitors – who can fend off the hosts’ attack with a bonus point victory ahead of the final fixture of the season.
With five consecutive away wins, the Sharks will be looking to bring their form on their travels back to the AJ Bell Stadium if they to add to their recent upsets on the road.
“We’ve had a great run and we had a top win against Exeter a couple of weeks ago and we’ve had some big scalps at Bath and Northampton and we’re looking to build on that always,” said Ingall.
“The results can go our way and we can get top four and we’ll definitely be pushing for that.”
Ingall also praised boss Diamond, who is up against his opposite number this weekend Richard Cockerill and league leaders Saracens boss Mark McCall for the Director of Rugby of the Season award, for his shining leadership in the Shark’s improved campaign.
“Dimes has done a great job. We were in a bad place last year and Dimes has been instrumental in bringing us back,” said Ingall.
“He keeps everyone’s heads on straight and he’s done really well.”
Diamond will be without captain Dan Braid for the crunch clash after he underwent knee surgery on Thursday.
Main image courtesy of Sale Sharks via YouTube, with thanks.
