Premiership
Bath Win Race for Youngster’s Signature
Bath have come out on top in the race to sign one of England’s hottest young prospects it has been confirmed
Bath Rugby have won the race to the signing of promising youngster Cameron Redpath from Sale Sharks with immediate effect it has been confirmed.
The back has signed a three-year deal after a six-figure fee was agreed with a reluctant Sharks side, who had hoped to keep a hold of one of their prised assets.
“Sale Sharks can today announce that Cameron Redpath will leave the club with immediate effect to join Bath Rugby on a three-year contract. The club have reluctantly agreed to accept a six-figure transfer fee to release Cameron from his Sale Sharks contract after unsuccessful negotiations with the player over the past couple of weeks. Redpath was in the second year of a five-year contract but has failed to retain a regular first team place after a number of injuries halted his development. Cameron, the son of former Sale scrum-half Bryan Redpath, joined the Sharks on a full-time academy contract after leaving Sedbergh School in 2017, the 20-year-old made a total of 22 appearances over two seasons in Manchester. The utility-back was selected for the England U20s in his first season at Sale after impressing with the U18’s the previous year whilst studying his A-Levels at Sedbergh,” a statement from Sale read.
The English youth star is one of Sale’s home-grown players and it was reported by RugbyPass last week that both Bath and Exeter Chiefs were keen to lure him away from Manchester.
Sale’s director of rugby Steve Diamond admitted that it is disappointing for the club to lose one of their own.
“We have a hard working and vibrant culture at the club which is developing through selective recruitment and the inclusion of our home-grown talent. We are 100% committed to our academy vision and the development of high-level players within the North-West. However, the most important ingredient in this process is the desire for our players and staff to actually want to be here. After meeting with Cameron on several occasions over the past few weeks, it became clear his desire was to leave the club,” he said.
Meanwhile Redpath thanked Sale for his time at the club in a message of his own.
“I would like to thank everyone at Sale for their support over the last two seasons, the coaches and staff at Sale were nothing but good to me. I wish everyone at the club all the best for the remainder for the season and the future,” he said.
The 20-year-old, who can play across the back-line will be hoping to get more game-time with Bath over the coming seasons than he has received at Sale. His first test in a Bath jersey could come as early as this weekend as they host the Bristol Bears knowing that a win would take them above their opponents and into the top-four of the Premiership table.
Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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