News

Tait hunting full-back jerseys

Tuesday 19th August 2008

Double input: Tait advised by Johnno and PSA

Mathew Tait has declared his intention to "nail down" the full-back spot for both club and country following his summer switch from Newcastle to Guinness Premiership rivals Sale Sharks.

At just 22-years-old, Tait has already amassed 24 England caps after being deployed at full-back, wing and outside centre.

Few can forget his scintillating run in last year's World Cup Final against South Africa in Paris, pacing 50 metres from deep to set up a try that never was for Sale club-mate Mark Cueto.

Now Tait, who is part of the Elite Player Squad from which England will select their international side, accepts the time has come to choose one position and stick to it.

Sale rugby director Philippe Saint-Andre will utilise him ostensibly as a full-back and Tait hopes England Team Manager Martin Johnson will hand him that role in the national side.

"Having spoken to Philippe, and with Martin Johnson having an input on the England side of things, I will be primarily playing full-back this year, with the ability to cover centre and wing too," he said.

"I spoke to both Philippe and Martin individually and they told me that was their plan for me.

"As a player you want to be in the England squad but primarily in the starting XV. Unfortunately I have been in and out of that for the last couple of years but now I want to nail down a starting position for England at full-back.

"I think having a set position certainly helps from a form point of view.

"You don't mind being moved around occasionally throughout the season, but to get the best out of yourself it's important to settle in one position."

Tait admitted he was ready for a new challenge after a miserable campaign last season at a club he spent four seasons playing for before joining Edgeley Park this summer.

"I had four good years at Newcastle but it was time for a change," he continued.

"It was a difficult year last season with everything going on off the pitch as well. But now I'm at Sale I can't wait to get started and a top-four finish will be the minimum requirement."

Sale's own campaign ended in bitter disappointment as a final-day surrender against London Irish at home denied them a play-off place which for much of the season looked well within their grasp.

Since then Saint-Andre has since recruited Tait, Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel, Luke Abraham, Kristian Ormsby and Andy Tuilagi, encouraging hopes of bringing silverware back to the Stockport-based club.

They have a place in the Heineken Cup and kick-off their Premiership assault next month against Newcastle at Kingston Park.

Intriguingly, Tait will face his former employers and possibly his brother Alex, who has progressed through the Falcons' Academy.

"I played with him up at Newcastle a couple of times, so it would be quite interesting to play against him," he said.

"I don't think my mother will coming to that one, she'll probably stay at home."