Sale Sharks could not have asked for a much tougher task after drawing one of the competition’s form teams in the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series final but captain James Mitchell is confident his side are up for the fight.
The Sharks will face last year’s runners-up Newport Gwent Dragons at Twickenham Stoop in the showpiece finale on Friday, with the Welsh region having topped Group A.
Yet Mitchell believe his side will be battle-hardened after qualifying for the series final in thrilling fashion from Group D last week.
A last-gasp try saw them secure a vital draw with Worcester Warriors before bouncing back from defeat to eventual group winners Newcastle Falcons with an impressive victory over Leicester Tigers.
And having qualified on points difference in part to the boot of Mitchell, the England Under-20s scrum-half is hoping his young side can build on their scoring form at the Stoop.
“To play in the final of the Singha 7s is going to be top drawer,” said Mitchell.
“Some of the younger lads really stepped up at the weekend and played really well and that is one of the reasons we got through.
“With 163 tries being scored already, I am sure there is going to be a lot more on Friday.
“7s is such a different game to the XVs and that is what fans come to watch so to showcase Sale Sharks and our young talent it should be a good evening.
“We are focusing on ourselves, we’ve got through to the final playing some good stuff, but Newport will be a really good side to play against, they are last year’s finalists, but we want to see what happens with our own game.”
But regardless of what happens at the home of Quins on Friday night, Mitchell believes a vocal support boosted by some travelling Sale fans will spur his side on.
“To have that support all over the country is great, they are the eighth man and to have some Sale fans down there it will be extra special,” added Mitchell.
“To get to a final and go through and win would be amazing. We will concentrate on ourselves, we are not hoping for anything but we will go down and put down a good performance more than anything.”
The Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series Final is at the Twickenham Stoop on 28 August. Tickets are £10 for adults and £5 for children from http://bit.ly/1hvtNOp
