IT LOOKS LIKE Peter Stringer has no plans to bring the curtain down on his decorated playing career just yet.
The Irish scrum-half, capped 98 times at international level, has extended his contract with Sale Sharks by a further year, the Aviva Premiership club announced this morning.
Stringer joined Sale — who are currently seventh in the Premiership — last summer on a one-year deal, but the Corkman has obviously impressed during his 13 appearances so far.
The former Munster, Saracens, Newcastle and Bath player’s new contract will take him up until the summer of 2017, when he’ll be just six months shy of his 40th birthday.
“Peter is a model professional who is incredibly fit and shows no signs of getting old. He has brought our backline to life this season,” said Sale Sharks head coach Steve Diamond.
“He is a very well respected member of our squad and the younger lads have all benefitted from Peter being here.”
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Quality selection! Looking forward to an exciting match at the weekend.
@John Thomas: I might have put Stockdale at 11 myself but I’m just a sofa coach.
@John Thomas: yeah I was hoping he’d get a game too
@John Thomas: he was very poor in Ireland A game. Looks a shadow of his former self but hopefully that’s something he can turnaround with more game time at Ulster
@BMJF: agreed, I was at it and he was so far off the pace and seemed many off his former self. Hopefully it was just an off day and he will show his worth.
@BMJF: Form is temporary, class is permanent.
@John Thomas: Couch or Coach?
@John Thomas: bit surprised he didn’t get a chance myself, unless they don’t feel he is fit. He really looked off the pace in the A game last week.
@Collitov: couch coach works as well.
Belham has to start against Australia now. He made an impact last sat and it would be benefical to see him start a test now
@Justin Flynn: same could be said at scrum half, we all know what JGP can do. Would have had 2 fresh lads in as I can’t see too many changes come 6 nations.
@Mark Sheehan: JGP needs game time before Australia
@BMJF: Australia isn’t the be all and end all, would be good to get a result given the limited amount of games between here and next years World Cup. An injury to either JGP or Murray and you could have a third scrum half with little or no international exposure on the bench during the tournament. JGP showed against South Africa that he is well up to speed.
@Justin Flynn: I think Bealham was extremely lucky with the refs reading of the scrum in Saturday.
@Tipper Irie: I’d actually argue SA we’re foolish for not scrummaging legally they practically went sideways at scrum time driving in. In fairness to bealham the only team that trouble him from an interpro point of view is the Leinster front row. He’s held his own against all the others quite easily
A very nice balance there. Good for the new faces to get experience with quality players like Park, Henshaw and Doris around them.
I’m sure they are managing Doris workload but he is a horse of a man when it comes to effort and leaves everything he has on the pitch….hope we are comfortable enough after 40 mins to rest him. We need all our big guns the following week.
@Michael Murray: yeah starting Doris is a complete head scratcher.
He should be wrapped in cotton wool.
Really happy with that squad. Glad that they didn’t put Sexton on the bench, I feared they might. Also good to see O’Brien play after his performance last week. Delighted that McCloskey is fit, I was sure he’d broken his arm. Henshaw starting is also a big boost ahead of the Australian game. Overall I’m really happy with that match day squad.
Excellent squad, Farrell & Co. keep surpassing themselves.
@Daithí O’ Donnabhain: delighted for Crowley, who’s the future along with Frawley.
@Daithí O’ Donnabhain: agreed! I think both of them will move ahead of Carbery in the next season or two. Both very similar players too. In the past when Ireland have had two top out half’s in their squads they’ve usually been quite different style wise. But Frawley and Crowley are both cut from the same cloth.
I would have preferred to see someone else getting time at scrum half, and perhaps Deegan or Prendergast getting a start, but those are minor quibbles.
Great to see Crowley on the bench – hopefully Ireland will be far enough ahead with 20 minutes to go that he can come on to close the game out
@Lesidees: I like the 4 half backs. I might have started Casey with Carberry and held JGP to help Crowley when he came on.