CUETO COLUMN
WE ALL WANT RUGBY BACK SOON
ALTHOUGH this time of year is traditionally a peak period for sport, the current situation has left the future of all seasons, including the Gallagher Premiership, uncertain.
We’ve seen promising reports of Premiership Rugby hoping to complete the current season, with a potential restart at the beginning of July.
This is encouraging, but it’s important to be cautious at these estimated restart dates, as all sport is still subject to government approval and the easing of the lockdown.
We know that a lot of work is going on from those behind the scenes at the RFU, who have been looking at ways to safely see top-flight rugby get back underway as soon as possible.
One of the options being explored is playing games behind closed doors, in a biosecure environment. As with all of the potential solutions, there are pros and cons to restarting in this way.
It would be great to get back in action and see fans given the chance to watch the conclusion of the season, but it seems likely that will be from their own homes rather than the stands of the AJ Bell Stadium.
Although the fan atmosphere will be missing, the potential televised broadcast of behind closed doors games could help increase rugby’s audience and engage new fans.
There could be more publicity than ever before if that does happen as people tune in to see what still promised to be an interesting end to the season.
Whatever happens, it’s clear compromises will have to be made if we are to see the season restart and it can only happen when the safety of everyone, from players to fans and facility staff, is guaranteed.
Plenty is still happening behind the scenes at Sharks and our new elite women’s side is a perfect example.
Since lockdown, we’ve appointed our head of women’s rugby, Darren Lamon and brought in England World Cup winner Katy Daley McLean as player-coach.
We’ve also signed promising Wales prop Molly Kelly, who at only 20 has six international caps and experience in the Premier 15s - the top league for the women’s game, which our women’s team will be participating in next season.
Mhairi Grieve, a scrum-half for Scotland, also joins this exciting project with 18 international caps.
This week on the club’s social media channels, we’ve been taking a look back at the grassroots rugby sides who have been able to visit, play and act as matchday mascots this season so far.
We’re able to make this happen thanks to Manchester-based Bollington Insurance, with a partnership that helps us engage with these junior sides to help develop and grow the next generation of players in the
North. We’ve had a lot of success with the 100 Club scheme and are looking forward to seeing more junior sides become part of the Sharks family as soon as we can.
Despite the lack of rugby, our brilliant fans have still been keeping busy by voting for their Sharks team of the century.
The results came in and showed a great mix of past and present Sharks.
It’s no surprise to see World Cup winner Faf de Klerk as the number nine, with Premiership winner Jason Robinson at the back and Andrew Sheridan as a prop alongside flanker and current England star Tom Curry.
It’s great to see our fans are just as invested in our present squad as some of our star players over the years and shows we have plenty of players to be excited about when we can safely return to rugby.