Sale Sharks promote 5 Academy stars

Sale Sharks have confirmed that five members of the highly successful Sharks Junior Academy have graduated and all signed professional contracts with the club ahead of 2017/18.

Sam Moore, Matt Sturgess, Luke James, Arron Reed and Nic Dolly have all signed five-year deals at the Sharks, as Steve Diamond looks to produce the next generation of rugby players to follow in the footsteps of the Curry brothers.

Brendan Thomas, Academy Manager, said: "This has been one of the strongest age-groups that have come through our system, and this was proven when the side qualified for the Finals Day back in February.

"We are really excited to see how these five players adapt and develop in a full-time environment."


Arron Reed
Arron joined the Sale Academy at U15 level, having first played in the Tarleton RUFC U9 team. Chester born, he was also with Wigan, Sefton and Preston Grasshoppers and attended Standish Community High School. He has since been studying for A-levels in PE, religious studies and business studies at Kirkham Grammar School.


Matt Sturgess
The nippy scrum-half has come through the Sharks Academy system, via Myerscough College AASE programme. He started every game for Sharks U18s in their successful season, and scored the only try of the game for Sale in the defeat by Harlequins in the Final.

Nic Dolly
A contract offer from Sale Sharks last December made Sydney-born Nic Dolly realise that he could play rugby at a professional level. A personal trainer, he had appeared for the New South Wales Waratahs U15 and U17 teams and in Sevens for the state at U18 level, having taken up the game when he was six years old. 

Luke James
Luke, brother of recent England call-up Sam, plays in the centres, but can also ply his trade in the back-row at flanker. He featured regularly for the Sharks U18 side this season, playing in either position, and came off the bench in the final. He started playing rugby at the age of 4 for Manchester Rugby Club, before continuing his rugby development at Wilmslow High School. 

Sam Moore
Moore plays at number eight, and has joined us from Sedbergh School. The big number eight weighs 110kg, and has featured regularly for the Sharks U18s despite a spell out due to injury, and scored one try. Sam, who is 6ft 5inches, has been a regular for England at junior level, playing for the U18s and U19s this spring, and has been called up, alongside Reed, to the U18 tour to South Africa in a few weeks time for the second successive year in a row.