How about this for a close rivalry? Whatever the result in Friday’s northern ‘derby’ between Sale and Newcastle, the men in charge will resume the weekly ritual of meeting in a sauna before watching their children have swimming lessons in the same pool.
It’s become a routine since Alex Sanderson was appointed director of rugby at Sale — succeeding his mentor and long-time inspiration, Steve Diamond, who is now engaged in a revival mission up on Tyneside. ‘The first time we met after I got the Sale job, we were in our trunks at the sauna,’ says Sanderson. ‘Breathing in,’ quips Diamond.
‘His lad and my daughter have the same swimming instructor, so we’ll meet up on a Thursday evening,’ he adds. ‘There’s no way his son is marrying my daughter, by the way!’
It turns out that their paths collide just when they are seeking an outlet from high-stakes jobs. Asked what he does to alleviate the pressure, Sanderson…
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