Former England captain Courtney Lawes has signed for the Sale Sharks and declared his intention to come out of international retirement.
The 37-year-old forward, who won 105 Test caps, will return to the English Premiership after a two-year stint in France with Brive, eyeing one final push at the top level.
“I’m really excited to be joining Sale,” said Lawes in a statement.
“I’ve been out of the Premiership for a couple of years and I want to finish my career playing at the highest level. Sale have a brilliant squad, so hopefully I can add to that.
“My body feels good and I’m still performing at a high level. If I retired now, I’d probably regret it later. Rugby is a short career, so I want to make the most of it.”
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Lawes, who can operate at lock or loose forward, enjoyed a glittering career with the Northampton Saints, making 280 appearances and captaining his boyhood club to the 2023-24 Premiership title – their first in over a decade.
He also confirmed his ambition to return to the England fold under Steve Borthwick.
“I’m officially un-retiring from international rugby and I’d love to play for England again,” Lawes said. “But first and foremost, I want to perform well for Sale and then we’ll see what happens.”
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Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson believes the veteran will bring invaluable leadership and quality.
“Courtney is exactly the kind of player and person that suits this club,” said Sanderson. “He’s tough, skilful and leads from the front. He’s captained England and knows what it takes to win at the highest level.
“He wants to come here, compete for trophies and push for international honours again. That says everything about his mindset.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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