Inside Sale's war room: How a Premiership club prepares for battle with neuroscience, wrestling their coaches, 54 doughnuts and a bulletproof shark
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They had enjoyed the symbolic celebration doughnuts, but the time had come to re-focus, so Sale’s squad gathered in front of a giant image of a great white shark in a bulletproof vest, to be briefed about another ‘West Country War’. Gloucester are the next target in that part of the country, on Saturday afternoon at Kingsholm. The visitors will arrive on a mission to back up their astonishing feat eight days earlier, when they went to Ashton Gate and became the first team to ‘nil’ Bristol in a Premiership game since 2016. The Bears had put a half-century of points on Leicester, away, the previous weekend, but Sale’s revitalised defence stifled them into scoreless submission.
![[Ben Curry and Co became the first team to ‘nil’ Bristol in a Premiership game since 2016]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/11/93706779-14246911-image-m-63_1735903366512.jpg)
No wonder sweet treats were in order. Having masterminded the shutout, Byron McGuigan faced a sizeable bill at the checkout. ‘In rugby terms, if you nil someone, it’s called a “doughnut”,’ he said. ‘It happened twice in my career as a player and those coaches bought doughnuts so I thought, I have to make sure that I do the same.
![[Having masterminded the shutout against Bristol, Sale's defence coach Byron McGuigan faced a sizeable bill as the team celebrated with a huge order of 54 doughnuts from Krispy Kreme]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/11/93706887-14246911-image-a-64_1735903438810.jpg)
‘So, there was a trip to Krispy Kreme. The original glaze are the best, but I ended up getting chocolate ones and loads of different varieties. I bought 54 doughnuts, knowing that a few boys wouldn’t have them, so I ended up having two of my own. The boys enjoyed it and deserved it.’.
![[Luke Cowan-Dickie (left) has made 48 tackles with 100 per cent completion - not missing once]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/11/93706955-14246911-image-a-65_1735903583367.jpg)
In a short space of time, 35-year-old McGuigan has had a profound impact on Sale’s title challenge. Before he was installed as defence coach in mid-November, the Sharks had been leaking too many points; 45 at Saracens, 27 in a home win over Gloucester, 47 at Northampton, 40 at Bath, even 37 at Doncaster in the Premiership Cup as they narrowly avoided defeat to their Championship hosts.
![[Sale are gearing up for another 'West Country War' against Gloucester (above) on Saturday]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/11/93706991-14246911-Sale_are_gearing_up_for_another_West_Country_War_against_Glouces-m-68_1735903810678.jpg)
