Sale Sharks facts for kids

Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, which is England's top rugby league. Sale Sharks have been in this top league since 1995.

The club started way back in 1861 as "Sale Football Club." This makes them one of the oldest football clubs still around today! In 1999, they got their cool nickname, the "Sharks."

Since 2012, Sale Sharks have played their home games at the Salford Community Stadium in Barton-upon-Irwell, Salford. They share this stadium with the Salford Red Devils rugby league team. Before that, they played at Heywood Road in Sale from 1905 to 2003. Then they moved to Edgeley Park in Stockport until 2012.

Sale Sharks are known as one of the best teams in the north of England. Their team colours are blue and white.

The club has won some big titles! They were Premiership champions in the 2005–06 season. They also won the Premiership Rugby Cup in 2019–20. On the international stage, they won the European Rugby Challenge Cup twice, in 2001–02 and 2004–05.

In the 2024–25 Premiership Rugby season, Sale finished third. This means they qualified to play in the 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup, a big European competition. The team's main coach, called the Director of Rugby, is Alex Sanderson. He started in January 2021.

Quick facts for kids
Sale Sharks

Full name	Sale Sharks Rugby Union Football Club
Union	Cheshire RFU
Founded	1861; 164 years ago (1861) (as "Sale Football Club") 1999; 26 years ago (1999) (as "Sale Sharks")
Location	Barton-upon-Irwell, Salford, England
Ground(s)	Salford Community Stadium (Capacity: 12,000)
Chairman	Fran Cotton
CEO	Paul Smith
Director of Rugby	Alex Sanderson
Coach(es)	Marco Bortolami
Captain(s)	Ben Curry
Most appearances	Sam James (244)
Top scorer	Charlie Hodgson (1,872)
Most tries	Mark Cueto (90)
League(s)	Premiership Rugby
2024–25	3rd
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website

Club History

Early Years (1861–1990s)

Sale Football Club started in 1861. It is one of the oldest rugby clubs in England. For many years, it was one of the top rugby union clubs in the north of England. The team moved to Heywood Road in 1905 and played there until 2003.

In 1911, Sale had an amazing season. They played 26 matches and didn't lose any! They won 24 games and drew two.

Many Sale players have gone on to play for their countries. G.A.M. Isherwood was the first Sale player to play in an international Test match in 1910. During the 1930s, Sale was very strong. They had players like Hal Sever (England), Claude Davey and Wilf Wooller (Wales), and Ken Fyfe (Scotland). In 1936, they won the Middlesex Sevens tournament.

Sale was also very successful in county cup rugby. They won every cup match for 15 seasons in a row, from 1972 to 1987!

Becoming Professional

In the 1990s, rugby became professional. This meant clubs needed more money to run. Sale struggled a bit, even though they had exciting players.

In 1997, Sale took 20,000 fans to Twickenham for the Pilkington Cup Final. But they lost to Leicester 9–3. The club faced problems until a local businessman, Brian Kennedy, helped them in 1999. After that, the club was on much stronger financial ground.

In 2002, Sale Sharks won the European Challenge Cup. They beat Pontypridd 25–22 in the final.

In 2004, Philippe Saint-André, a former French international player, became the coach. With new players like French stars Sébastien Bruno and Sébastien Chabal, Sale won the European Challenge Cup again in 2005. They beat Pau 27–3.

Winning the Premiership (2005–06)

The 2005–06 season was a huge success for Sale Sharks. They added new players like Lionel Faure, Elvis Seveali'i, and Nathan Bonner-Evans. Sale won 16 out of 22 games, finishing at the top of the league.

In the semi-final, they beat London Wasps 22–12. Then, they won the 2006 Premiership title by beating Leicester Tigers 45–20 in the final!

Changes and Challenges (2006–2013)

After winning the Premiership, Sale hoped for more success. But many players got injured, making it hard for the team.

In 2007–08, it was a World Cup year, so some big players were away. Sale signed new players like Luke McAlister from New Zealand. They had some good wins, like beating Leicester Tigers home and away for the first time. But they didn't reach the semi-finals or win a trophy.

In 2009, Philippe Saint-André left the club. Many key players also left. The team struggled in the 2009–10 season, finishing 11th and just avoiding being moved down to a lower league.

In 2011, former player Steve Diamond became chairman. He made many changes to the team and coaching staff. Sale started the 2011–12 season well. They ended up in sixth place in the Premiership, which meant they qualified for the Heineken Cup.

In 2012, Sale moved to their new home, the Salford Community Stadium. The 2012–13 season was tough. They spent most of the season near the bottom of the league. However, they did reach the final of the LV Cup, but lost to Harlequins.

Sale Sharks and Oyonnax playing in 2013

Steve Diamond Era (2012–2020)

The 2013–14 season was much better. Sale finished sixth in the Premiership. This meant they qualified for the first-ever European Rugby Champions Cup. They also reached the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup. Six Sale players were even called up to play for the England national team!

From 2015 to 2020, Sale usually finished in the middle of the Premiership table. Their best finish was fifth, and their lowest was tenth.

In June 2016, a new group led by Simon Orange took over the club.

Some important players joined the team during this time:

• 2016/17: Rob Webber, AJ MacGinty, Mike Phillips, Byron McGuigan.
• 2017/18: Faf de Klerk, Jono Ross, James O'Connor, Marland Yarde.
• 2018/19: Chris Ashton, Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
• 2019/20: South African players Rob du Preez, Jean-Luc du Preez, Dan du Preez, Lood de Jager, Akker van der Merwe, Coenie Oosthuizen.

In December 2020, Steve Diamond left the club. He had built a strong team and felt it was the right time for new leaders to step up.

Alex Sanderson Era (2021–Present)

In January 2021, Alex Sanderson became the new Director of Rugby. Alex used to play for Sale Sharks himself! He played 90 games for the club and was even team captain. He said he was excited to come "back home" and achieve something special. Alex extended his contract in 2024, so he will stay with the club until at least 2027.

In the 2020–21 season, the Sharks finished 3rd in the Premiership. They lost in the semi-final to Exeter Chiefs. In the European Champions Cup, they reached the quarter-finals. Young players like Sam Dugdale, Bevan Rodd, Arron Reed, and Raffi Quirke became regular first-team players.

2021/22 Season:

• New players included Nick Schonert, Tommy Taylor, and Simon McIntyre.
• The team struggled at first but improved later in the season. They finished 6th in the Premiership.
• They lost in the Champions Cup quarter-final to Racing Metro.

2022/23 Season:

• Key new players were George Ford, Jonny Hill, and Tom O'Flaherty.
• Sale started strong with five wins in a row and stayed in 2nd place for most of the season.
• They beat Leicester in the semi-final, reaching their first home playoff since 2006.
• In the final, they were leading Saracens but lost 35–25 after Saracens scored two late tries.

2023/24 Season:

• New players included Luke Cowan-Dickie, Agustín Creevy, Ernst van Rhyn, and Sam Bedlow.
• Sale was at the top of the league early on. They finished 3rd after winning their last games.
• They lost to Bath in the play-offs.

2024/25 Season:

• A notable new player is Waisea Nayacalevu.
• In December 2024, Sale had a big away win against Bristol Bears, beating them 38–0. This was the first time Bristol had not scored any points in a Premiership game since 2016.

Team Kits

Sale Sharks have had different companies make their kits and sponsor their shirts over the years.

Current Kit

Since the 2021–22 season, the Italian company Macron has supplied Sale's kits. They make all the match day, training, and casual clothes for the men's, women's, and academy teams. Macron is also the club's official shop partner.

Season Highlights

This table shows how Sale Sharks have performed in different competitions each season.

• * dropping into the competition from the European Rugby Champions Cup

Gold background means the team won the championship.
Silver background means the team was a runner-up (finished second).
Pink background means the team was moved down to a lower league.

Club Trophies

Sale Sharks Main Team

• Premiership Rugby
  • Champions (1): 2005–06
• RFU Championship (Second Division)
  • Champions (1): 1993–94
• European Challenge Cup
  • Champions (2): 2001–02, 2004–05
• Premiership Rugby Cup
  • Champions (1): 2019–20
• Cheshire RFU Cup
  • Champions (17): 1969–70, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1996–97

Sale Jets (Reserve Team)

• Cheshire RFU Cup
  • Champions (2): 2009–10, 2010–11 (shared)

Sevens Rugby Titles

• Middlesex Sevens
  • Champions (1): 1936
• Glengarth Sevens Main Event
  • Champions (1): 1977
• Glengarth Sevens Davenport Plate
  • Champions (2): 1968, 1985
• Melrose Sevens
  • Champions (1): 2003
• Glasgow City Sevens
  • Champions (2): 2007, 2009

Current Team Squad

The Sale Sharks team for the 2024–25 season includes:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Ethan Caine Hooker England Luke Cowan-Dickie Hooker England Tadgh McElroy Hooker Ireland Tommy Taylor Hooker England Patreece Bell Prop Ireland James Harper Prop England Ross Harrison Prop England WillGriff John Prop Wales Simon McIntyre Prop England Tumy Onasaya Prop England Asher Opoku-Fordjour Prop England Bevan Rodd Prop England Hyron Andrews Lock South Africa Ben Bamber Lock England Roubs Birch Lock England Alex Groves Lock South Africa Jonny Hill Lock England Le Roux Roets Lock South Africa Ernst van Rhyn Lock South Africa Josh Beaumont Back row England Ben Curry Back row England Tom Curry Back row England Huw Davies Back row Wales Sam Dugdale Back row England Yande Nkonge Back row England Dan du Preez Back row South Africa Jean-Luc du Preez Back row South Africa Will Riley Back row England

Player Position Union Raffi Quirke Scrum-half England Nye Thomas Scrum-half England Gus Warr Scrum-half Scotland Will Wooton Scrum-half Ireland George Ford Fly-half England Robert du Preez Fly-half South Africa Charlie Wardle Fly-half England Joe Bedlow Centre England Sam Bedlow Centre England Tom Curtis Centre England Rekeiti Ma'asi-White Centre England Obi Ene Wing England Tom O'Flaherty Wing England Arron Reed Wing Scotland Tom Roebuck Wing England Alex Wills Wing England Will Addison Fullback Ireland Joe Carpenter Fullback England Luke James Fullback England

Academy Squad

The Sale Sharks Academy is where young players train to become future stars.

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Wills Austin Hooker Wales Alfie Longstaff Hooker England Harry Thompson Hooker England Jack Lightbrown Prop England Ralph McEachran Prop England Tye Raymont Prop England Oliver Spencer Prop England Tom Burrow Lock England Ells Causey Lock England Dylan Hodkinson Lock England Frank Chatterton Back row England

Player Position Union Jos Gilmore Back row England Seb Kelly Back row England Tristan Woodman Back row England Will Bennett Back row England Dom Hanson Scrum-half England Ollie Davies Fly-half England Ben Motamed Centre England Aaron Pope Centre England Osian Roberts Centre Wales Tobi Wilson Wing England

Famous Former Players

Lions Tourists

These Sale players were chosen to play for the Lions, a special team made up of the best players from the UK and Ireland, while they were at the club:

• G.A.M. Isherwood (1910 Tour to South Africa)
• William Michael Patterson (1959)
• Peter Stagg (1968)
• Fran Cotton (1977 & 1980)
• Steve Smith (1980 & 1983)
• Jason Robinson (2001 & 2005)
• Andy Titterrell (2005)
• Charlie Hodgson (2005)
• Mark Cueto (2005)
• Jason White (2005)
• Andrew Sheridan (2005 & 2009)
• Tom Curry (2021 & 2025)
• Luke Cowan-Dickie (2025)

Rugby World Cup Players

These players represented their countries at the Rugby World Cup while playing for Sale Sharks:

Tournament	Players selected	England players	Other national team players
1999	1	Phil Greening
2003	2	Jason Robinson	Bryan Redpath (c)
2007	10	Andrew Sheridan, Mark Cueto	Elvis Seveali'i , Scott Lawson, Rory Lamont, Jason White (c) , Ignacio Fernández Lobbe, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe , Sébastien Bruno, Sébastien Chabal
2011	9	Mark Cueto	Alasdair Dickinson, Richie Vernon , Tony Buckley , Andrei Ostrikov , Wame Lewaravu , Tasesa Lavea, Johnny Leota , Andy Powell
2015	4		TJ Ioane, Johnny Leota , Shalva Mamukashvili , Phil Mackenzie
2019	5	Tom Curry, Mark Wilson	Valery Morozov , Faf de Klerk , AJ MacGinty
2023	5	Tom Curry, George Ford, Bevan Rodd, Manu Tuilagi	Augustin Creevy

Club Sponsors

Sponsorship deals help rugby clubs get the money they need to run. Sale Sharks have had several important sponsors over the years.

In 1999, UKFast, a Manchester business, became a major sponsor. They helped the club change its name to Sale Sharks.

Later, in 2003, the computer security company McAfee became a sponsor. Their logo was on the front of the Sale shirts from 2006 to 2009.

UKFast returned as the main sponsor in 2009. The CEO, Lawrence Jones, was a big fan of the club. However, UKFast ended their sponsorship in 2011.

From 2011 to 2016, MBNA, a credit card company, was the club's main partner. Their logo was on all of Sale's shirts.

UKFast became the main club sponsor again in 2016. This was the biggest sponsorship deal in the club's history at the time.

In October 2020, VST Enterprises, a cyber technology company, created the world's first interactive sports kit for the club. Fans could scan a special code on the shirts with their phones to get exclusive content.

On September 1, 2021, AO, an online electrical store, became the club's main shirt sponsor. AO also worked with the Sharks Community Trust, the club's charity, to create a mental health program for schools. The South Stand at the stadium was even renamed the AO Stand.

In August 2024, Carrier Solutions UK became the main partner. Their Toshiba brand is now the front-of-shirt sponsor for four years.

Team Records

Club Records

• Biggest Win: 76 – 0 against Bristol (in 1997–98)
• Biggest Loss: 58 – 5 against London Wasps (in 1999–2000)
• Best League Position: 1st (in 2005–06)
• Worst League Position: 9th (in 1989–90)

Player Records

• Most Premiership Games Played: Mark Cueto – 219 games
• Most Tries Scored in Premiership: Mark Cueto – 90 tries
• Most Points Scored in Premiership: Charlie Hodgson – 1,872 points

See also

In Spanish: Sale Sharks para niños