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Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson says he has no doubts over his own position in the wake of a 85-19 home thrashing by Saracens on Sunday.
Sarries ran in 13 tries as Sale slumped to their 10th defeat in 13 league matches this season.
Sale take on fellow strugglers Harlequins on Saturday.
Defeat would put a top-eight finish and qualification for next season’s Champions Cup in jeopardy for a team who have made the play-offs in four of their previous five campaigns.
Sale currently sit seventh in the Prem table, six points clear of Gloucester and seven ahead of Quins.
“When criticism is levelled at you, as it has been, I don’t reflect on not whether I’ve got the minerals, because I know I have,” said Sanderson.
“Actually, if anything, it has motivated me more to reward or give back to those who believe and to prove the doubters wrong.
“It just doubled my motivation, if I’m honest.”
Sale beat Quins three weeks ago in the Champions Cup and Sanderson promises his side will be much improved on their return to the Twickenham Stoop.
England flanker Tom Curry could make his return to action after a calf injury sustained in the pre-match warm-up for the Six Nations match against Italy in March.
“We’re going to get a major response,” Sanderson said. “100%, that’s what we’re getting
“I just have faith in the group I have complete faith in the quality of people and the players that they are.
“I’d put my mortgage on it that they’re gonna give a good performance.”
Sale are co-owned by Simon Orange, who sold his investment fund in a deal reported to be worth more than £1bn in January 2025., external
Sanderson met with Orange the day after the defeat by Saracens, and said he was reassured by his support and understanding in light of the raft of injuries and loss of backroom coaches Marco Bortolami and Byron McGuigan that has disrupted their season.
“Simon was the first person to contact me on Monday morning at eight o’clock. He sent me a text, in support of what we’re doing, where we’re going, because he’s on the inside and kind of knows it all,” added Sanderson.
“We sat for a couple of hours and talked about all kind of things because he doesn’t just want to be kind of a silent partner in owning and running the club – he has ideas and suggestions, some of which are extremely, extremely well-founded because he’s a bit of a genius.
“The co-owners are heavily involved, heavily supportive and offer suggestions, but they are smart enough to leave it to the guys that are in there every day for the kind of in-moment, Churchillian speeches and all that.”
