That's a bummer, Will
Mike got the Russian Sage from me in a trade, and I had never dug out or mailed Russian Sage plants before, so I was worried. I cut the branches back to, I think around 4 inches, making sure to leave plenty of buds on them, then I soaked them, in their entirety, in water for a couple days to get the roots and branches flexible for packing and to stay moist for the journey. I couldn't get over how deep the tap roots are. It was like digging out a rose tap root!
I also found it quite interesting how woody the roots of Russian Sage are.
I am so glad it worked out for you Mike!