Premiership
Eleven players to depart Sharks
Sale Sharks can confirm the players that will depart the club after the conclusion of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season.
Following the announced departures of club legends Will Cliff and Jono Ross alongside Scotland internationals Byron McGuigan and Ewan Ashman, a further eight players will leave the Sharks at the end of the club’s most successful season in over 15 years.
Academy graduates Ben Carlile, Elliot Gourlay, Kieran Wilkinson and Matt Postlethwaite will all leave the club to head for pastures new, as will centre Sam Hill following two seasons in the North West.
Jason Woodward, Ryan Mills and Dom Barrow will also depart following the conclusion of their short-term contracts at Sale.
Everyone at Sale Sharks would like to thank our outgoing players for their contribution to the club over the years and wish them the very best for the future.
Commenting on the players leaving this season, Alex Sanderson said: “ I would like to thank every single one of these boys for their contribution to Sale Sharks, they have all played a part in the clubs most successful season in over fifteen years.
“It’s never easy letting players leave, especially Northern lads who have come through our academy but it’s a sign of the changing dynamic of the game.
“I’m grateful to have had the privilege to work with each one of them and get to know them on a personal level. I have made friends for life and as I always say the door is never shut, they’re always welcome at the AJ Bell and I wish them all the very best for the future.”
Ben Carlile
Tight-head prop Ben Carlile joined the club from Yorkshire Academy at the start of the 2019/20 season and has made six appearances for Sale Sharks over four years.
Ewan Ashman
Born in Toronto, Canada, hooker Ewan Ashman played his junior rugby at Sandbach Rugby Club before joining the Sharks Academy in 2017.
Originally a centre or back-row forward, he made his Sharks debut on September 5, 2020, when he came on as a replacement against Leicester Tigers.
Ewan has since been capped by Scotland and made over 50 appearances for Sale Sharks, scoring 85 points over six years.
Matt Postlethwaite
Lock Matt Postlethwaite joined the Sale Sharks Academy from the Yorkshire Academy in 2015 after playing his formative rugby at Ilkley Rugby Club.
Matt spent two years as a dual-registered player with Sale FC and has made 53 appearances for the Sharks since joining the club.
Kieran Wilkinson
Fly-half Kieran Wilkinson joined the Sale Sharks academy in 2017 after leaving Kirkham Grammar School, in Lancashire.
Kieran made his first team debut for Sharks against Perpignan in the European Challenge Cup in 2018, putting in a composed performance to guide his side to a 41-24 victory.
Kieran leaves the club after making 29 appearances scoring a total of 235 points for the Sharks over the years.
Jason Woodward
Full-back Jason Woodward joined Sharks on a one-year deal ahead of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season after his release from Gloucester. The versatile back, who can also play on the wing and in the centre, had spent five years at Kingsholm.
After a season plagued with injury, Jason has made only two appearances for the Sharks since joining.
Dom Barrow
Dom Barrow ended a two-year hiatus from professional rugby when he joined Sharks in February 2022 after impressing Sharks coaches during a trial spell. The Sheffield-born forward, who stands at 6’8”, joined Alex Sanderson’s squad on a permanent deal.
Dom leaves the club following completion of his contract this season.
Sam Hill
Combative centre Sam Hill joined Sale Sharks in 2020 on a two-year deal after spending a decade at Exeter Chiefs.
Known for his physicality and his direct, abrasive style of play, Sam made 150 appearances for Exeter before making the switch to the AJ Bell.
Sam has made a total of 32 appearances for the Sharks over two seasons.
Elliot Gourlay
Versatile Elliot Gourlay is yet another graduate of Kirkham Grammar School and played his rugby right across the back-line, featuring at fly half, centre and full back.
Elliot played his junior rugby at Altrincham Kersal RFC before joining the Sharks Academy and has been dual registered with Caldy for the last two seasons.
Elliot leaves the club after 8 appearances as a Sharks and 10 points in Sale colours.
Ryan Mills
A skilled goal-kicker, Mills started his career at Exeter Chiefs, spending 12 years at Sandy Park before making the move to Gloucester. He played 26 times for the Cherry and Whites before moving to Worcester.
Ryan joined Wasps in July 2020 after making 106 appearances for the Warriors. Following a short stint at Wasps, Ryan joined the Sharks, making 8 appearances for the club this season.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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.
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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.
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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.
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