LONDON Irish’s best hope of a miraculous escape from Aviva Premiership relegation maybe to ‘give it a crack’, writes Richard Ashton.

That is the opinion of Sale Sharks Director of Rugby, Steve Diamond, whose side pushed Exiles nearer to the trapdoor with a gritty 13-9 victory at Madejski Stadium on a wet and windy Saturday afternoon.

With Worcester Warriors securing a stunning 6-5 victory at champions and league leaders Exeter Chiefs, Nick Kennedy’s men are 12 points adrift at the foot of the table with eight games to play.

They have gone try-less in their past two home games and scored just 23 tries in 14 Premiership outings – nine less than any other side in the league – and Diamond, who took over at Sharks in 2011, believes they may have to alter their style to pull off a Houdini act.

He told the Chronicle: “I can only speak from the position I was in. When I took over we were bottom of the league at Christmas and we had an option of either playing the way we’d carried on playing, which was really conservative, or having a crack.

“We managed to get out of the position by playing (attacking rugby). I suppose you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t, but if you don’t play, you’re not going to score tries.”

He continued: “For them in their position, you’ve got to go out and throw caution to the wind, there’s nothing to lose.

“With the backline they’ve potentially got, I’d be saying just get it to those wingers and be dangerous and lets see how they do.”