Premiership
Sale legend announces retirement and testimonial year
Scrum-half Will Cliff to hang up his boots at the end of the 22/23 season
The 34-year-old has played more than 200 games for Sale since his debut in 2007
‘Cliffy’ will mark his retirement with a testimonial year
Sharks scrum-half Will Cliff has confirmed that he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current Premiership season.
The 34-year-old fans’ favourite, who played his junior rugby at Sandbach, made his Sharks debut in 2007 and has played more than 200 games for the club.
And that service to his childhood club will be marked and celebrated with a testimonial year, which kicks off with a special match at the CorpAcq Stadium on June 24 between a team made up of Cliffy’s Sharks Legends and a Premiership Legends XV.
The year-long calendar of events will raise money for three charities close to Will’s heart: the Sale Sharks Foundation, The Joshua Tree and Project Restart.
After rising through the age groups at Sandbach, Will played for Macclesfield, Manchester RUFC and attended Myerscough College before being handed a professional contract at the age of 18.
He made his first team debut in 2007 against Bath in the EDF Cup at Edgeley Park and went on to play 113 times for the club before joining Bristol ahead of the 2015/16 season.
After two years in the South West, Will rejoined Sharks in 2017 and went on to make a further 120 appearances before making the decision to retire.
Will said: “It feels like the right time to be hanging up my boots. It’s daunting and emotional because this is all I’ve done since I left school, but I’ve had a brilliant career and there’s nothing I’d change.
“It’s been so special to play so many times for my childhood club. I can remember watching Sale at Edgeley Park with my dad as child and I don’t think I ever dreamed I would get to pull on the shirt once, let alone play so many times.
“I’ve made friends for life and I’ve got memories that will last a lifetime, from both on and off the pitch. The best memories are from big wins against some of the best teams in Europe, and games when maybe relegation was on the line and we’ve all pulled together and won.
“It’s meant everything to play for Sale and after 16 years it’s going to be difficult to take my nametag off my locker. There’s lot about this lifestyle and this club that I’ll miss but I can’t wait to come back and watch the boys and I’m really excited about what’s coming next for me and for the club.”
Injury has restricted his appearances this season but Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson says ‘Cliffy’ has remained a big character in the dressing room.
He said: “Cliffy is one of the longest-serving and most loved Sale Sharks players ever and we’ve had a few good players here. He’s epitomised everything good about this club in the last 16 years and he’s loved by players, staff and fans alike.
“When you get to know him, you realise that he’s not just the pulse of this place on the field, but he’s at the heart of everything off it too, and there is going to be a huge void to fill when he does hang up his boots.
“The testimonial year is a really important way of everyone saying thank you to Cliffy for everything he’s done, not just for the club but for rugby in this region.”
For more information about Will Cliff’s testimonial year, visit www.cliffy9.com.
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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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