Premiership
HOMEGROWN RODD SIGNS NEW DEAL
Sale Sharks and England prop Bevan Rodd has committed his long-term future to the club by signing a new three-year deal.
The 23-year-old loosehead, who was born in Dunoon, western Scotland, joined the Sale academy in 2018 and made his first team debut just a year later. He’s gone on to make almost 80 first team appearances.
Bevan has represented England at U16s, U18s, U20s and full international level, winning six full caps and featuring against Chile and in the bronze medal match against Argentina at the recent World Cup.
Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said: “Bevan will play for the British and Irish Lions – I’m really confident about that. He’s one of the most talented looseheads I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and I’ve been lucky to work with a few.
“He had to improve his set-piece and a lot of that comes with age, size and weight. You can see from his performances in the World Cup and this season so far that he’s done that.
“He plays like a back-rower but I think his x-factor is the energy that he brings to the team when he runs onto the field. It’s characters that win you trophies and you can see how much fight and desire Bevan has to win with this club.
“We have loads of really talented young props but Bevan is international class now and he’s only 23 years old. How good will he be in a couple of years? He’s really exciting and I’m buzzing that he wants to stay here.”
Bevan said: “There was never any doubt about wanting to stay. This club means a lot to me, I get to play rugby with some of my best mates every day, and I know it’s the best place for me to develop my game and grow on and off the field.
“We’ve shown we can compete for the big trophies and I’m really excited to see what this group can achieve together in the years to come.”
Bevan comes from a sporting family with both his parents having represented Scotland at volleyball.
Originally dual-qualified for both England and Scotland, he began his rugby journey playing for Buchan School, on the Isle of Man, where his talent was spotted at an early age.
He was just ten years old when he impressed national selectors enough to earn selection for the English Prep School Barbarians Under 11 team for their tour of Dublin.
Bevan moved to Sedbergh School, in Cumbria, where he was an important member of the school’s Daily Mail Schools Trophy Final triumph in December 2017, starring alongside former Sharks star Cameron Redpath.
He joined the Sale Sharks Academy in 2018 and became a regular in the U18s and Jets squad before making his first team debut in 2019.
In 2021 Bevan received his first call-up to Eddie Jones’ England squad for the Autumn internationals against Canada and the USA.
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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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