Shock as Diamond leaves Sale

CLUB stalwart Steve Diamond made a shock exit from Sale Sharks yesterday after a decade in charge. Diamond made 290 appearances for the club, before returning in the roles of director of rugby and CEO.

His departure is shrouded in mystery, and follows two wins out of three Premiership games so far this season. Paul Deacon will take over as temporary coach, ahead of this weekend’s Champions Cup game in Toulon. He has left just a month after Sale appointed new CEO Sid Sutton, who was tasked with commercial activities and enhancing the working culture. The decision was made at a meeting yesterday morning before the players were informed and a statement citing ‘personal reasons’ was released. ‘After 10 proud years with Sale Sharks I have taken the decision to step away from the business,’ said Diamond.

‘I feel that this is the perfect moment to hand over to someone else, given the club is now stable and in a great position to compete at the highest level. ‘I now look forward to taking some time out and planning my next challenge.’

Meanwhile, former England captain Chris Robshaw has been banned for four weeks and fined two weeks’ salary for breaching coronavirus protocols while on duty with the Barbarians. Robshaw and 12 of his Baa-Baas team-mates received a range of sanctions yesterday after their trips out of the team bubble resulted in the cancellation of the game against England in October.

An inquiry found they used a hotel fire exit to avoid detection and provided a false alibi to go to McDonald’s.

In total, the players have been banned for 85 weeks, with 44 weeks suspended, fined 18.5 weeks’ salary and handed 630 hours of community service.