Zach Injury Update

[Rossm]

"Zach has recovered pretty well actually considering how big a head blow [he had]. Obviously wouldn't even dare consider him for this week but we're just going to have to monitor him and see how he goes in the next couple of weeks. But yeah he's pretty positive signs actually from Zach."

Blackett confirmed Kibirige also travelled back with the team: "He was on the bed for a fair bit, I spoke to him probably 15, 20 minutes after the incident, he was still on the bed then but by the team I'd come down from media he was up and walking around in the changing rooms, pretending he was alright I think."

"I think with any of this especially with what's going on at the moment as well but it's really important we do the right thing for Zach in this instance and we won't be rushing him back whatsoever."

Speaking shortly after the match, Blackett said: "Zach was knocked cold out. When they were having a conversation, he didn't really know much of what was going on, it's never nice to see. I've just had a full on conversation with him.

"It's the longest I've seen our medical guys treat anyone. The early indications seem he's alright."

I'm so glad to hear that. I was fearing the worst when he went down and didn't move. Wasn't helped by the TMO refusing to show the video from the end on camera.

[Rossm]

Judging by this photo (ignore Alfie) it looks to me that Zach was intending to slide in with the ball and score. But, his knees dug into the very sandy Sale pitch and he was stopped dead and may indeed have rotated forward and hit the ground face first and knocked himself out. Certainly the pitch was appalling and not fit for purpose. No wonder Josh appeared to be running through treacle when it looked like he was going to score a certain try.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

The pitch appeared to have been doctored to prevent wingers running down the line in each 22m zone. The 5m each side had a lot of sand on it. Notice how their wings operated infield a lot? They must have been used to or trained with that in mind.

[backdoc]

To be fair, Sam James at 1.93m and 98kg managed to run pretty fast to overhaul Josh.

Maybe the studs were different.

[WonkyWasp]

Wasn't Sale known as 'The Sand Box' not so long ago???

[RogerE]

Think that was Edgeley Park (Stockport) where they played until the 2012 season.

It was notorious for the sand covered muddy pitch edges, and it was because of this we had the Pizzagate episode. 

Following one of our props nearly drowning in liquid mud a few weeks before at Vicarage Road, the PRL/RFU agreed with Wasps that if they came across such a pitch again they could refuse to play on safety grounds.

This happened at Stockport, and even though extra sand was added, the mud still remained so the match was called off, and the Wasps team got on the coach home where Pizzas, that were always ordered for the return coach, were dished out, much to the ire of Sale fans who never let us forget it

[HDAWG]

To be fair, Sam James at 1.93m and 98kg managed to run pretty fast to overhaul Josh.

Maybe the studs were different.

Yeah if you watch it you can see Bassett is properly slow compared to James who is full tilt. I reckon Bassett had a niggle, like Jonny May in the World cup where he was out run by Scott Barrett.

[WonkyWasp]

Thank you, Roger.  They do seem to be keeping the tradition alive tho'  don't they.

[Mellie]

Yeah if you watch it you can see Bassett is properly slow compared to James who is full tilt.

Unfortunately Dobby did not commit James at all so he was always at full tilt. I'm sure DR thought it would be a simple run in due to Josh's pace but he was not taking the ball at full tilt, giving James an advantage.

Undoubtedly the pitch did not help Josh's traction to pick up speed quickly.

[mike909]

Yeah if you watch it you can see Bassett is properly slow compared to James who is full tilt.

Unfortunately Dobby did not commit James at all so he was always at full tilt. I'm sure DR thought it would be a simple run in due to Josh's pace but he was not taking the ball at full tilt, giving James an advantage.

Undoubtedly the pitch did not help Josh's traction to pick up speed quickly.

This - accelerating on a loose surface is much harder than maintaining pace. Josh looks like he is trying to accelerate and the ground provides little to push against. On a decent surface, James wouldn't have got close.

[RBB]

Yeah if you watch it you can see Bassett is properly slow compared to James who is full tilt.

Unfortunately Dobby did not commit James at all so he was always at full tilt. I'm sure DR thought it would be a simple run in due to Josh's pace but he was not taking the ball at full tilt, giving James an advantage.

Undoubtedly the pitch did not help Josh's traction to pick up speed quickly.

This - accelerating on a loose surface is much harder than maintaining pace. Josh looks like he is trying to accelerate and the ground provides little to push against. On a decent surface, James wouldn't have got close.

Agree with this, when you see him try to push off the sand is clearly impeding him, James was running from a  firmer surface,into the sanded area, with momentum so had the pace advantage. IMO, the sand cost us two tries and caused a significant head injury to a player. I also agree with earlier comments that tactical sanding was at play as our wingers do like to get on the end of a cross field kick in the corner, the Sale coaching team will have analysed this and set the pitch up accordingly, the sand being entirely admissible as we have had so much rain.

[Shugs]

Another factor could be that Bassett was "cold". I don't think he touched the ball first half. Although he was more involved leading up to the try opportunity he'd never got out of first gear. He's suddenly trying to find fifth.

[wasps]

Conspiracy theories everywhere you look

[Peej]

I thought that was a hybrid pitch at Salford?

Josh did look really slow, though Robby could have fixed James far better, or even stepped inside off his left.

I'm glad Zach is ok. I was worried he might have broken his neck given how he fell

[Chunky24]

Article below is a couple of years old but mentions sand alot in the preparation of a "fibresand" pitch.
Also we haven't considered the possibility of Covid impact in groundstaff, could be reduced by illness / self isolation / furlough.

https://www.pitchcare.com/news-media/aj-bell-stadium-binary-codes.html