Tales from the Members’ Bar

Volume 2 No 7 Chris Mayor

This week I find myself in a race with the Saints Communications Manager. Chris Mayor was not only in the Members’ Bar, he is also on the front of the programme this week.

In a career that has had quite a few highlights, Chris chose galloping 80 muddy metres at Twickenham with Lewis Moody in desperate then despairing pursuit as the one he would take to his desert island. “They were attacking from a scrum when Austin Healey (Boo!) tried a move that didn’t come off. The ball went free (hurray!) and Magnus (remember him?) picked it up. He sent a basketball pass over the top. I just caught it and ran.”

Chris absolutely denied that he knew that anyone was chasing him but that 80-metre run was the icing on the cake of a magnificent season. Sale had been consistently good all season. A good pack of forwards provided plenty of possession for sales backs to use. For the first time since the play-offs had decided the Premiership champions, the team that finished top of the league were crowned champions. I think I would have been pretty pleased, too.

Chris shares some biographical details with another member of the squad. “Made in Wigan” is a term that can be ascribed to him. A product if St John’s RC High School, Chris’s early rugby was all rugby league. He went through his young life as a Wigan fan with his home town team dominating the game. As you might expect, he had a flair for the game and as a fifteen-year old was signed to the club of his heroes.

Jason Robinson was so much of a hero that when he left to try his luck in rugby union, it was not long before Chris pitched up at Sale, too.

I carefully did not broach the subject of Saints’ unlucky thirteen. It was a matter of which Chris was well aware. He hopes he got his bad luck in early. He damaged his ankle tendons during pre-season training. It did not sound good. He made his first tentative steps in a Saints shirt in the fixture down in Cardiff. Not having been able to compete for the early season starting position, Chris was resolved to playing well and taking any chance he got whether for the Wanderers or the first team. I know the people with whom I watched the Wanderers match with Bath were suitably impressed with his contribution.

With the season only just warming up, Chris has seen both John Clarke and Joe Ansbro go down with injury and create an opportunity for him. It is noticeable in this squad that sympathy for crocked mates is genuine and heartfelt.

Chris’s run in the team started when he replaced James Downey at Vicarage Road. He has seen the highs of winning against French opposition and qualifying for the semi-final of the EDF Cup; also, the disappointment of losing at Bristol. Everybody was disappointed with the loss. To be ahead and, by all the usual indicators, in control of the game it was more than disappointing to have lost. The defence had handled its workload well when all of a sudden; direct from a line out, there was a gap. Bingo. Seven points and the game gone.

There have been plenty of positives to be highlighted in training this week but just the one point in the bag.

Chris has a settled home life and was only in emergency accommodation with other team members for a short while. Stephen Myler was one of his hosts, the other was Joe whom Chris described as a Special Boy. He was coy about expanding on this description but I am on the case.

Marmite has a hard time in our changing room. Chris is another who absolutely hates the stuff but looks forward to a caramel covered chocolate digestive.

And remember, failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

arw

20.11.2008

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