Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union team who play in England in the Guinness Premiership. The club is an offshoot of Sale F.C., which is based in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C. Part of the process of creating a rugby union team to represent the North West region has been in the development of a strong academy. Through their junior team The Jets (Presumably named to go alongside The Sharks as a reference to West Side Story) , the club has developed many talented home-grown players, including; Steve Hanley, Mark Cueto, Dean Schofield, Chris Jones, Andy Titterrell and Charlie Hodgson.

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History

The club was founded in 1861 and is one of the oldest clubs in English rugby. Throughout their history they have been one of the leading rugby union clubs in the North of England.

Sale were unbeaten in 26 matches, winning 24 and drawing two in 1911.

Although Pat Davies is counted as Sale's first international, having been picked to play for England in 1927, it was G.A.M. Isherwood who was Sale's first representative in an international Test match ^[1], when he played in all three tests of the 1910 British tour to South Africa at scrum-half. ^[2] The club has consistently provided international players and, during the 1930s, had one of its most dominant periods, fielding players of the calibre of Hal Sever (England), Claude Davey and Wilf Wooller (Wales) and Ken Fyfe (Scotland). It came as little surprise when they took out the 1936 Middlesex Sevens. 150px Sale ruled the roost in county cup rugby for 15 straight seasons as they went unbeaten from 1972 to 1987 in every one of those cup fixtures. During this period, Sale competed for the chance to be English club champions. In their first year, one after the inaugural competition kicked off in 1971, they made the semi-finals only to lose to eventual winners Coventry 35-6.

During the nineties, despite thrilling displays under Paul Turner, and his successor John Mitchell, both club and ground struggled to keep a grip on the demanding commercial and financial realities of running a professional rugby club.

Sale took 20,000 fans to Twickenham for the 1997 Pilkington Cup Final but Leicester won a mistake ridden match 9-3. This interest quickly faded and the anticipated increased crowds never materialised and relegation from the Premier Division loomed until rugby union-playing local businessman Brian Kennedy came to the rescue late in the 1999-2000 season. Since then, the club has been on a sound financial footing.

Off the field, Peter Deakin was recruited from Warrington Wolves rugby league as Chief Executive to employ the skills he had used with the Bradford Bulls and Saracens and he made an immediate impact in raising the club's profile until hit by the serious illness which claimed his life in February 2003.

Success was not immediate; Sale Sharks finished eleventh and tenth in the 12-strong Premiership table in the first two years of the new Millennium. It took the coaching partnership of two former Sale players, Jim Mallinder and Steve Diamond, to produce a team that were 2002 runners-up and qualified for the Heineken Cup.

Player signings matched the elevated profile of the club. Scotland skipper Bryan Redpath was joined by Stuart Pinkerton, Barry Stewart, Graeme Bond, Jason White and Andrew Sheridan. The club then turned to the wealth of talent, hitherto largely untapped, in Rugby League. Apollo Perelini, known as "The Terminator" for his uncomprimising style, joined Sale Sharks the day after helping St Helens to victory in the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford and the media had a field day when Jason Robinson, possibly the most exciting wing in the world in either code, moved to Sale from Wigan Warriors.

In 2002 the team also went on to capture the Parker Pen Shield at Oxford's Kassam Stadium, defeating Pontypridd 25-22.

2006-2007 Season

After the success of the 2005/06 season many at the club had hoped for a repeat and with a strong squad boosted by several quality players including England Saxons centre Chris Bell, Former Wales prop Ben Evans and Argentina flanker Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe it seemed likely. However over the autumn months an injury crisis began with the loss of Scotland capain Jason White to a knee injury whilst playing against Romania. More bad news followed with England fly half Charlie Hodgson and England prop Andrew Sheridan falling to knee and ankle injuries respectively. More and more injuries were picked up over the following months until Sale were left with only 17 of a 38 man squad fit to play in their final Heineken cup match against the Ospreys. (Source: Sale sharks website)

2007-2008 Season

In 2007-8, it was World Cup year so the club was without some of out big names e.g. Jason White, Andrew Sheridan, Sebastien Chabal etc. They still had Charlie Hodgson who wasn’t picked for England . Sale appointed James Jennings as the new Chief Executive and Dean Schofield as the new captain. Sale had signed some good players including Rory Lamont, Brent Cockbain, Rudi Keil, Julien Laharrague and Scott Lawson but the biggest signing had to be Luke McAlister from the Blues in New Zealand. Signing him was said to be one of the biggest signings Sale had ever made. The season was up and down in parts though. The up parts were; seeing Ben Foden progress at full back to become a superb player, beating Leicester Tigers home and away was a first plus seeing Richard Wigglesworth play for England for the first time was a plus. The academy players also became an integral part to the squad (Neil Briggs, Sean Cox, Will Cliff). However, the low points were not qualifying for the semi finals in the Premiership or win a trophy as they were targets at the beginning of the season. Overall it was a mixed season. (Source: Sale sharks website)

At the end of the season, several players left the club: Ben Foden, Chris Mayor and Ignacio Fernández Lobbe all signed for Northampton Saints, where they were joined by Christian Day. Sililo Martens joined Llanelli Scarlets while Magnus Lund, Julien Laharrague and Ben Evans joined teams in France.

2008-2009 Season

During the closed season the retirement through injury of Steve Hanley was announced. On 19 August 2008, Juan Fernandez Lobbe was announced as the captain for the new season, replacing Jason White who was still recovering from a serious knee injury last season. Sebastien Chabal and Dean Schofield were announced as vice-captains.

A new Premiership record of 4 games without leaking a try was set at the start of the season, these games were Newcastle (A), Saracens (H), Bristol (A) and Gloucester (H).

On December 4 2008 the Board of Sale Sharks announced that Philippe Saint Andre would step down from his position as Director of Rugby at the end of the 2008/2009 season. Kingsley Jones, the current Head Coach is to be promoted to Director of Rugby at the end of the 2008/9 season, assuming overall responsibility for all rugby operations at the Club and former sale winger Jason Robinson will be the new Head Coach from the start of the 2009/2010 season

Sale Sharks were knocked out of the European Cup in the group stages. Despite Sale earning a bonus point win over Clermont in France in the first round, a close defeat at home to Munster, a defeat to Montauban and Munster beating The Sharks in Ireland led to a disappointing exit.

Charlie Hodgson was voted the player of the year at the club's end-of-season awards on Thursday 30th of April 2009.

2009-2010 Season

It was announced in February 2009 that the new coaching team for the 2009/10 season will be lead by the new Director of Rugby Kingsley Jones, the new Head Coach Jason Robinson assisted by Phil Keith-Roach (forwards coach) and Byron Hayward (Kicking Coach). ^[3]

It was announced on March 18 2009 that Sale Sharks had signed Ben Cohen. The former England Winger signs from French outfit Brive. Contract details were undisclosed.

Dean Schofield has once more received the captaincy, this time for season 2009 - 2010.

Something that has worried many Sharks fans of late is the amount of hight quality stars leaving at the end of the 2008-2009 season such as Jason White, Juan Fernández Lobbe, Rory Lamont, Sébastian Chabal, Luke Mcalister and Lionel Faure. So far Sharks have only recruited a few players but not of the calibre to replace some of the leavers.

Current Squad

Nat. Position Player (c)

Nat. Position Player (vc) (vc)

Nat. shown here indicates sporting nationality as defined by the IRB

New Signings for 2009-10 season

Sale Sharks have signed the following players to play in the team this season:

• Ben Cohen (Brive)
• Jack Forster (Gloucester)
• David Seymour (Saracens)
• Sisa Koyamaibole (Toulon)
• Marika Vakacegu (Cornish Pirates)
• Mahonri Schwalger (Scarlets)
• Gavin Kerr (Edinburgh)
• David Bishop (Ospreys)

Players Leaving for 2009-10 season

• Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Toulon)
• Michael Hills (London Welsh)
• Joe Horn-Smith (London Welsh)
• Stuart Turner (Retiring)
• Dave Ward (Cornish Pirates)
• Sébastien Bruno (Toulon)
• Sébastien Chabal (Racing Métro)
• Lionel Faure (Clermont)
• Luke McAlister (Blues)
• Rory Lamont (Toulon)
• Jason White (Clermont)
• Rudi Keil
• Ross Davies (Ospreys)

Current England Elite Squad

• Mark Cueto
• Andrew Sheridan
• Mathew Tait

Current England Saxons Squad

• Richard Wigglesworth

Internationally Capped Players

• Ben Cohen
• Mark Cueto
• Charlie Hodgson
• Chris Jones
• Dean Schofield
• Andrew Sheridan
• Mathew Tait
• Richard Wigglesworth
• Sisa Koyamaibole
• Marika Vakacegu
• Mahonri Schwalger
• Anitelia Tuilagi
• Gavin Kerr
• Oriol Ripol
• Brent Cockbain
• Dwayne Peel
• Eifion Lewis-Roberts

Jets Players

• Ed Styles FB, England under-16s
• James Gaskell LK, England under-20s
• James Irlam WG
• Jonny Kennedy CE, England under-18s
• Jordan Davies FB/WG, England under-18s
• Lee Imiolek PR, England under-18s
• Mark Atkinson FH, England under-18s
• Ryan Glynn SH, England under-16s
• Tom Holmes LK, England under-18s

Notable Former Players

Jonathan Bryant Fran Cotton Claude Davey Eric Evans Mike Hercus , Shane Howarth G.A.M. Isherwood Dewi Morris David Rees Jos Baxendell Magnus Lund Lionel Faure

Joe Mycock Apollo Perelini Hal Sever Mark Taylor Paul Turner Wilf Wooller Pete Anglesea Andy Titterell David Baldwin Sébastien Bruno Sébastien Chabal Stuart Turner

Tony Bond Barry Foy Ken Fyfe Bryan Redpath Steve Smith Jason Robinson Ignacio Fernández Lobbe Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe Sébastien Chabal Epi Taione Steve Diamond Luke McAlister

Steve Hanley Barrie-Jon Mather Sililo Martens Graeme Bond Trevor Woodman Jim Mallinder Alex Sanderson Pat Sanderson Ben Foden Jason White Rory Lamont

Club honours

• Parker Pen Shield 2002 2005
• Guinness Premiership 2006

Final Standings

2008-09 Guinness Premiership Table [ watch] · [ edit] · discuss
	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points for	Points against	Difference	Try Bonus Points	Losing Bonus Points	Points
1	London Irish	8	6	0	2	189	126	63	1	2	27
2	Gloucester Rugby	8	6	0	2	198	144	54	3	0	27
3	Bath Rugby	8	5	1	2	201	169	32	2	2	26
4	Sale Sharks	8	6	0	2	119	109	10	0	0	24
5	Harlequins	8	5	0	3	199	160	39	2	2	24
6	Leicester Tigers	8	5	0	3	172	160	12	0	1	21
7	Saracens	8	4	0	4	187	142	45	1	3	20
8	Worcester Warriors	8	3	0	5	132	160	-28	0	2	14
9	London Wasps	8	2	0	6	140	169	-29	0	4	12
10	Northampton Saints	8	2	1	5	149	195	-46	0	1	11
11	Newcastle Falcons	8	2	0	6	131	195	-64	0	2	10
12	Bristol Rugby	8	1	0	7	95	183	-88	0	3	7
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: # Number of matches won # Difference between points scored and allowed # Total number of points scored # Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams # Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background are play off places.Pink background is the relegation place Reference : Updated 2008-11-30 --- Current English Leagues

Sponsorship

Sale Sharks signed a three year deal with Manchester business UKFast, the deal is for in excess of £2m. ^[4] UKFast started sponsoring the club in 1999, at the same time they changed their name from Sale to Sale Sharks. Lawrence Jones a keen supporter of the club and managing director of UKFast announced a sponsorship deal in March 2009 which saw the end to the previous sponsor McAfee's 4 years with the club.

Headline Shirt Sponsor UKFast ^[5]: ^[6]:

Full list of all sponsors of Sale Sharks: ^[7]:

Other sponsors include: Printerland, Cotton Traders, JobWorthDoing, Greene King IPA

References

1. W. W. Wakefield, H. P. Marshall, ''Rugger - The History, Theory and Practice of Rugby Football'', 1928, page 361
2. Despite playing for the British team, Isherwood was never selected for England.
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/sale/7910391.stm
4. Sale enjoy life in the UKFast lane
5. http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-digital-media/ukfast-invests-seven-figures-
6. http://www.ukfast.co.uk/sale-sharks-press-area.html
7. http://www.salesharks.com/sponsors