New boy to shine for Diamond after earning Sale deal
SALE’S new signing Ben Carlile is desperate to show Steve Diamond just what he can do.
The 20-year-old prop has moved to the AJ Bell Stadium from the Yorkshire Carnegie Academy having previously trained with Sale and played in a number of Premiership Rugby Shield games as a guest.
And after impressing for the Jets, director of rugby Diamond has rewarded Carlile will a full-time contract which will see him stay within the Sharks ranks until at least the end of next season.
He follows England Under-18 fullback Joe Carpenter, 18, who joined
Sale in November from Yorkshire Carnegie on a long-term academy contract.
“I was lucky enough to be invited to play in the Premiership Rugby Shield with Sale this season and I have really enjoyed it so far,” said Carlile.
“It’s been great to play with some really class players and I am so grateful to the Sharks for giving me such an amazing opportunity to further my rugby.
“Seeing Joe Carpenter make the move from Yorkshire earlier in the season and go on to make an appearance in the Heineken Cup last week was just unbelievable so I can’t wait to get my head down at Carrington and show what I can do.”
And Ben Lazenby, academy manager at Yorkshire Carnegie, believes Carlile will impress at Sale.
He said: “Ben is a talented prop forward who has continued to develop since his first involvement in the Yorkshire academy as an U14.
“This signing shows how effective the partnership has been between the Yorkshire Academy and Sale Sharks, with Ben playing regularly in the Jets team as well as attending senior training sessions through preseason all the way to now.
“I would like to recognise and thank the foresight and support of Steve Diamond in facilitating and supporting the partnership.”
Meanwhile, Sale winger Byron McGuigan has been named in
Scotland’s squad for the upcoming Six Nations Championship, with Sharks team-mate prop WillGriff John earning a first call-up for Wales.
McGuigan (30) has been in sparkling form for the Sharks this season, featuring in 12 of the club’s 17 matches despite stiff competition from the team’s other international wingers. John’s Wales selection is the first of his career and is the result of his hard work since signing for
Sale Sharks from Doncaster Knights in 2017.
The tighthead featured in every Gallagher Premiership game for Sale last season.
Valery Morozov has been handed a three-match ban after being shown a red card in Sale’s Heineken Cup clash at La Rochelle last Friday night.
He will be available again for the Premier Rugby Cup semi-final at the AJ Bell Stadium against Saracens on February 7.