This is a look at some of the positions of focus for Sale’s recruitment for next season.
Centre looks likely to be a position that the club will look to recruit in ahead of the 2023-24 season. Springbok Rohan Janse van Rensburg returned to South Africa last summer and there is a possibility that England international Manu Tuilagi might take a mouth-watering contract in France or Japan at the end of this season. If Tuilagi departs, that would open up a significant amount of cap space, perhaps in the region of £400,000. There is perhaps also uncertainty surrounding the future of Sam Hill, who hasn’t yet hit the heights he did during his time with Exeter. It perhaps might be unlikely that Hill will leave if Tuilagi departs 12 months on from van Rensburg’s return to South Africa. Worcester’s Ollie Lawrence is a name who has been linked with Sale in recent weeks and would be a very good signing. He is primarily a 13 and Sale’s focus probably will be on an inside centre. Lawrence would fit the bill of a player who is already a proven Premiership player and an England international but also a long-term investment at the tender age of 23. Alex Sanderson could use his links to Saracens to make a move for Alex Lozowski. He has a huge amount of experience in the Premiership with Wasps and Saracens and would provide great versatility as a player who can play in the centres, at flyhalf or at fullback. Harlequins’ Joe Marchant could be available and would represent an excellent bit of business. He has consistently performed for Harlequins for a number of seasons and has played 12 times for England. Like Lozowski, he is a versatile player playing both at centre and on the wing for club and country. Exeter’s Ollie Devoto would be another good option however his injury record is a concern. The club could look at a couple of former academy products in the shape of Leicester’s Dan Kelly and
Bath’s Cameron Redpath at inside centre, although it is up for debate if the club would look to bring back Redpath considering the manner of his exit to Bath during Steve Diamond’s tenure and his injury record. Kelly made his England debut in the summer of 2021 and has impressed over the last 18 months for Leicester, whilst Redpath is a Scotland international.
In the second row there are currently both a lot of young, inexperienced players and unknowns. The likes of Alex Groves and Ben Bamber are talented young players but they are still unproven at the Premiership level. They both are low risk, high upside signings. Josh Beaumont is a proven performer in the Premiership and at his best is in and around the England squad but has been plagued by injuries over recent season so it is not guaranteed that he will return to that level. Dom Barrow came out of retirement earlier this year to join the club and although he has proven in the past to be a good Premiership player, that was a few years ago and it is unknown whether he will return to that level. Taking into account also that Jonny Hill will be away for significant periods of time with England, second row would be a sensible position to recruit in. Northampton’s David Ribbans would be a good signing; a player with Premiership experience, in and around the England squads, an EQP and still only 27 years old. One man Alex Sanderson will know from his days at Saracens is Joel Kpoku, who is currently impressing in the Top 14 with Lyon. He is still only 23 years old and so still has his peak years well ahead of him. One complication might be his contract status at Lyon, however he might want to return to England like Zach Mercer is doing in order to be eligible for the World Cup.
Scrum half might be a position that the club might look for an experienced option. Faf de Klerk left for Japan over the summer, Will Cliff might retire at the end of this season and Joe Simpson is only on a short-term deal. Raffi Quirke is the clear first choice and is a generational superstar. Behind him, Gus Warr has taken his opportunities at the start of this season and Nye Thomas is another talented youngster coming through. Recruitment at scrum half might depend on the development of Warr and Thomas this season. A move for Bath scrum half Ben Spencer would represent a very sensible bit of business, reuniting Spencer and Alex Sanderson. They know each other very well from their days at Saracens together and it would be a move home for Spencer, who hails from Stockport. Sanderson has often spoken about bringing players home and representing their childhood home, like the club did in securing the signing of George Ford last November. On a similar note, a move to bring Alex Mitchell back to the North West from Northampton would be an excellent decision. Mitchell was part of the Sale academy and it would be terrific business to bring in back home to Sale having had a number of good years at Northampton and breaking into the England team. A move for Wasps’ Dan Robson would be a very good one as well and provide experience like Ben Spencer and Alex Mitchell.
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