New deals for homegrown Sharks

Simon McIntyre, Joe Jones, Tommy Taylor, Ewan Murphy, Rouban Birch, Sam Dugdale, Cal Ford and Arron Reed have all committed their futures to the club

Club has triggered extensions for twelve more first team players

Sale Sharks is delighted to announce that academy graduates Simon McIntyre, Joe Jones, Tommy Taylor, Ewan Murphy, Rouban Birch, Sam Dugdale, Cal Ford and Arron Reed have all signed new contracts with the club.

The homegrown eight, who have all featured in Alex Sanderson’s first team squad this season, have put pen to paper on deals committing their futures to the club where their careers began.

Forwards Birch and Dugdale, who have both been given player of the match awards this season, have signed new three-year deals, while hooker Taylor and winger Reed have agreed two-year extensions.

Props McIntyre, Jones and Ford have signed one-year extensions with McIntyre and Jones agreeing a further year option for the club.

And back-row forward Murphy has signed a similar deal – his first as a professional – following his three-year university bursary contract.

In addition, the club has taken up two-year extension options with Bevan Rodd, Raffi Quirke, Rob du Preez, Tom Roebuck and Joe Carpenter, and one-year extension options with Sam James, Tom Curtis, Tumy Onasanya, Ethan Caine, Ben Bamber, Connor Doherty and Joe Bedlow.

Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said: “This is massive news for this club and it’s another demonstration of how committed we are to developing young, exciting, northern talent.

“We have big constraints on us with the salary cap reductions and you can see from other clubs that maybe some players in the league perhaps weren’t willing to sacrifice any money.

“That hasn’t been the case with us. We’ve had tough conversations any across the board the lads want to stay for extra security and because they know that we want them and they believe that we’re building something here.

“These lads are the fibres of the fabric of the north. They are buying into something that’s bigger than just them.

“Getting to play week in, week out with your best mates at a club that values you, is the best and I don’t know if you truly understand that until you move away.

“We’re very lucky to have these lads.”

Related articles

  • Match Report

    MATCH REPORT | Sale Sharks 28 Exeter Chiefs 10

    Read more