mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson admits he will be without scrum-half Xavier Roe for another two or three games after Roe returns to New Zealand, where his partner Ruby is due to give birth to their first child next week.
Ex New Zealand The U20 signed a two-year deal with the Sharks in the summer, scored a try in a win over Bath in the PREM Rugby Cup, and returned home after the first weekend’s loss to Bristol Bears.
He missed the win last weekend Saracens and will miss the visits Harlequins and Glasgow Warriors in the Champions Cup, with a likely return away from home Newcastle Red Bulls or when Sale party Bath at the end of the month.
Sanderson said part of the deal was when Roe, 27, signed from Bosses was that he would be allowed to return home in plenty of time to give birth before returning to the Northwest.
“I think it’s Newcastle or Bath; that’s what we’re hoping for if there’s no complications. The journey is two days and then there’s jet lag. That was the deal, and that was part of the deal. We knew about it.”
“Actually, that was one of the deciding factors in his coming to us, whether we would prioritize him and his family over a few games at PREM. Xavier signed up for a few years, but he has already stated that he wants to stay here for the rest of his career.
“If you end up getting off on the wrong foot with someone’s wife, there’s no way that’s going to happen. I guess it’s a matter of preference. A lot of South Africans want their children to be born here, and she was adamant that she wanted her child to be born in New Zealand. Happy wife, happy life.
“As soon as they sign, they become honorary, adopted northerners. They can only get their northern citizenship revoked if they lack fight, determination and tenacity; I guess that’s three strikes,” Sanderson said.
Sanderson said Ben Curry will return to action this week for the first time since last December, along with tight end Luke Cowan-Dickie, but a decision will be made on Tom Roebuck, who missed the first two games with a calf injury.
