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Welcome back to the Salford Stadium for our first home Gallagher Premiership fixture since the end of January. It’s felt like a long time away and everyone is chomping at the bit to run out in front of our home crowd and, after a good win against Newcastle last week, get back in the mix for the top four. 

Before I go on, I want to offer a big Manchester welcome to Phil Dowson and his Northampton Saints team. Saints have had, by their own standards, an up and down season and they didn’t perform as well as they would have expected against Leicester last weekend. That said, we’re facing a smart team and a proud team.

Today’s Matchday Mascot is Jacob McGuckin. Jacob’s will be running out with the team tonight, but his favourite player at Sharks is Jean-Luc du Preez

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Sharks’ very own hot-Rodd hits 100 club caps this weekend and in Northampton Saints, he’ll be facing the same team he made his debut against as a 19-year-old in 2019. 

Back then it was Premiership Rugby Cup points on the line for a young Bevan, but now, as a 24-year-old fully-fledged international and a key part of Alex Sanderson’s squad, the stakes and the expectations are much higher. 

When Steve Borthwick announced his 2025 Six Nations squad and included eight Sale Sharks players, many associated with the club saw it as a chance to stress that Northern rugby cannot keep slipping under the radar. Since joining the club as Director of Rugby in January 2021, Alex Sanderson has, somewhat quietly, revolutionised a “sleeping giant” of English rugby, and forced them into the country’s conversation.  

In that time, the squad has changed beyond recognition (with just nine survivors), the coaching team has also turned over, and the club has harnessed a new identity based firmly on its northern roots.  

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Premiership rugby finally returns after an extended break to the North West, and Sale come into it off the back of a fantastic away win, international players in red-hot form and a top 4 place back on the agenda. What’s not to like! 

Since we were last at home for a Premiership Rugby Cup win against Newcastle, much has happened in the world of Sale Sharks. The less said about the quarter final of that particular competition away at Exeter the better – a near full strength Exeter team putting us to the sword for another hefty defeat at Sandy Park was only made bearable by the lack of television coverage saving most Sharks fans from having to endure too much pain.  

Tonight’s hall of famer played for Sharks, Saracens, England and the British and Irish Lions during a 16 year career. He was part of the 2006 Premiership winning side and he’s still the Premiership’s record point scorer with 2625 points. You’ll get to welcome him back at half-time – our latest hall of famer is none other than Charlie Hodgson!

Sale Sharks and Northampton Saints players will mark World Down Syndrome Day 2025 at the Salford Community Stadium tonight by running out in odd socks. 

People with Down’s syndrome have an extra copy of the sock-shaped 21st chromosome, and to raise awareness of the genetic condition, the Down’s Syndrome Association launched the ‘Lots of Socks’ campaign. 

Tonight, international stars like George Ford, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman will don one home sock and one away in support of last week’s World Down Syndrome Day 2025 (Friday 21st March).