Steve Diamond: Sale Sharks future hinges on home form

Diamond's Sale Sharks face Bath, Gloucester, London Welsh and Saracens in the opening month of the season

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond says the club's aspirations hinge on their home form.

Sale, who finished sixth in the Premiership last campaign, host Bath in their season opener on Saturday.

"Home form has to be good to generate the crowd. If we got 8,000 people in that stadium week in and week out then we will spend more money on the team." Diamond told BBC Radio Manchester.

"We will get better players, better coaching and become a better team."

The 46-year-old former Russia head coach continued: "The bottom half of last season we were pushing 10,000 and we want that to happen because it is a huge boost for the players.

"We don't want it to come in the second half of the season, we want it to come early doors."

Diamond, in his second permanent spell at Sharks boss, has previously led the club to second place in the Premiership and a European Challenge Cup.

He said focusing on improving their results at the AJ Bell Stadium, having won six of their 11 Premiership games at their Salford base, is crucial as they try to emulate past successes.

"We don't look at Bath as one club, what we are thinking is that we have to win nine of the 11 home games to push for a top-six place.

"To break into the top four of this competition would be monumental."