James Rooney of Lymm Junior Colts Selected for Sale U18 v Leicester U18 – click for match details

The Sale Sharks’ Academy Under-18 programme starts on Friday, 5th January, with a home fixture against Leicester Tigers. Venue: The Manchester Metropolitan University Complex, Platt Lane, Manchester M14 7UU Kick off: 3.30pm.

Academy Manager Brendan Thomas comments: “It was great to see Junior Academy players Cameron Redpath, Kieran Wilkinson and Connor Doherty featuring in the Anglo Welsh Cup, following in the footsteps of Senior Academy lads like Sam Moore, who played twice in the European Challenge Cup during the Autumn.

“The club is second only to Saracens for providing first team players via the Academy, and we aim to usurp the Sarries soon. We’ve six or seven guys lined up to join us.

The Northern Conference of the Under-18 League started in late December, but the Sharks were the ‘resting’ side in a seven-team group.

Results were: Leicester Tigers 31-31 Northampton Saints; Yorkshire Carnegie 33-19 Newcastle Falcons; Worcester Warriors 12-55 Wasps.

Sharks’ supporters are warmly invited to follow the fortunes of the Under-18 team, and spot our stars of the future. Entry is free.

Local fans, especially those of a certain age who follow Manchester City, will recognise the venue as a former City training ground, on the corner of Platt Lane and Yew Tree Lane, west of Platt Fields.The postcode for SatNav is M14 7UU.