Guiness Premiership / Editor / 01 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Sale Sharks are starting to swim among rugby's big fish again after a huge summer of change at the club. They play London Irish in tomorrow night's live Guinness Premiership game, and Betfair went to meet their new captain Dean Schofield to learn more. . .

"In football you can carry somebody who doesn’t. If you’ve got Cristiano Ronaldo, let’s say, he’s so brilliant going forward that others can do the other side of the game for him and it’s ok. In rugby it’s not like that, you have to have every player being committed."

Hi Dean, you were vice captain last season, what's different for you now you've stepped up?

First and foremost it's a great honour for me. I'm passionate about the club, this is my ninth season here, I'm a Manchester lad and I used to support them before I played. It doesn't change me as a person or a player. I suppose it means I take things on my shoulders a lot more, and take results a bit more personally, but I'm enjoying it.

What are your short term aims?

Just to be part of the bigger picture, as opposed to turning up for training in the morning, pulling your boots on, doing your work and going home. Now I'm sort of there working with the coaches, talking about things we should be working on, the feeling in the camp, game strategies, how I should be talking to the ref, there's just so much more that comes with this job.

Rugby seems to have been ahead of other sports in going into all that sort of detail and analysis

Yeah, as players we look at videos maybe an hour and a half or two every week, but the coaches do seven or eight hours to get it all ready. The game's that complicated, we have videos for the breakdown, the line-outs, the scrums, defence, attack, we do analyse a lot and it makes a difference.

In football they put their bodies on the line too, at least the good teams do

Yeah, but in football you can carry somebody who doesn't. If you've got Cristiano Ronaldo, let's say, he's so brilliant going forward that others can do the other side of the game for him and it's ok. In rugby it's not like that, you have to have every player being committed. If you have two or three missing tackles it will show. I know every sport is about teamwork, and unity, but with the nature of the game in rugby and the contact it's even more so. There has to be more unity and less individuality.

So you're new as a captain. Tell us about Jason Robinson who's new as a coach

It's a massive change for him, he's not long been retired. He's well respected in the squad, a few of us played alongside him. He's great, he's enthusiastic, he won't hide that he's new at the job but he brings a lot to the table. He works a lot in defence and has some great attack strategies too and it's a role he's getting into.

The Heineken Cup starts next week so you will have to step up a level. Is that a help or a hindrance at this stage?

I'm not sure how big a step it is now. You used to say the Heineken Cup was more of an international standard, but the Premiership now is pretty much the same. It's intense, it's quick, that gears us up well. The Heineken Cup was very French dominated in the past, but the ferocity of the Premiership now puts you in good stead for it, really.

What about your own form this season. Still got ambitions to add to your two England caps?

As long as I put a Sale shirt on I'd love to play for England again too, it's that simple. If you're good enough you play. I missed out this year went to the Churchill Cup instead but my ambition is massive to play for England.

Has being captain helped your form?

I think in my position (in the second row) nobody really notices your form. If you are playing well, you just are.

To change the subject completely you're a big fan of the Manchester music scene. What's the verdict on Oasis splitting up?

Oh, it's criminal. I went to Glasgow to see them last year, then I missed the Heaton Park venue because I was away in America, I had to give my ticket up and that I wasn't happy about, I can tell you. Then to come back to hear they'd split! I'm devastated. They are a band I always listen to during my training and it always cheers me up.

What's the favourite track on the ipod then?

It's got to be "Cigarettes and alcohol" from the early days. And the Solarized tune that Noel Gallagher did with Ian Brown, that was outstanding as well. Those are my favourites, I love the Manchester music scene,

Who's going to be the next big band then?

The Cortinas, they aren't actually from Manchester but are playing the area a lot, and they are brilliant. I went to see them in Preston not long ago. A real good band, I think things are going to happen for them.

We hope things happen for you too. Thanks for your time and we've a free £50 bet for a favourite charity.

Thank you, that can go to Christie charity which raises funds in Manchester for cancer research, and I'll back Wayne Rooney to be Premier League top scorer at [7.6]. I'm a United fan and this seems to be the season he's really hitting his peak.

Tags: Dean Schofield, Heineken Cup, Jason Robinson coach, rugby betting, Sale Sharks squad