The Sale Sharks and Wasps match was particularly memorable for four community groups from Manchester and Stockport, who were gifted a total of 180 tickets to attend the game at the AJ Bell Stadium thanks to the generosity of sponsor Together – a key club partner.
The match, on Saturday, saw players from Stockport All Stars, a tag rugby squad established nine years ago, take to the pitch at half time with a live demonstration.
The group was set up by Stockport RUFC to offer young people with additional needs a chance to be part of a mainstream club and participate in the sport. It is now the only rugby club of its type in the North West.
Along with Stockport All Stars, Wythenshawe Walking Group, Seashell Trust and Manchester Youth Zone each received between 30 and 50 free tickets to attend the Premiership Rugby Cup fixture, courtesy of specialist lender Together, with a crowd of more than 6,800 people creating an electric atmosphere.
Mark Cueto, Commercial Director at Sale Sharks said: “The opportunity to gift the match-day experiences to inspirational community groups and their committed members is fantastic.
“We strongly support any groups that aim to bring communities together through a mutual enjoyment of rugby, so we were delighted to welcome every single person to the stadium on Saturday. We hope they had a fantastic day and the live rugby experience lived up to their expectations.
“The generosity of our partners continues to amaze me every season. A massive thank you goes to Together, a key partner, for recognising the wonderful achievements of these community groups.”
In a tightly fought contest, Sale ultimately emerged victorious to pick up their third win in a row, despite being ten points down at half-time.
