Courtney Lawes Targets England Comeback After Signing Sale Sharks Deal
Courtney Lawes has been backed to regain his England place following confirmation that he will join Sale Sharks this summer on a one-year contract. The former national captain, who spent the last two seasons with Brive in France's Pro D2, has indicated a strong desire to return to international rugby if the opportunity arises.
Veteran Forward Believes He Can Still Compete at Top Level
Despite retiring from Test duty after the 2023 World Cup in France and turning 38 next February, Lawes remains confident in his ability to make an impact at the highest level of the game. This optimism is shared by Sale's director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, who is eagerly anticipating the arrival of the former Northampton stalwart in Manchester.
"I don't think we'd have signed him if he was just a player who wanted a paycheck," Sanderson stated. "That's not what I'm seeing, and the stats don't reflect that. He's still got the ability and experience to play some great rugby over the next season, if not the next couple."
Sanderson highlighted Lawes's robust physique, dynamic presence on the field, and hard-hitting tackles, but emphasized that his skill set extends far beyond physicality. "Courtney is robust, dynamic around the park and he hits hard, but he has a fantastic skill set that means he's so much more than just a banger," he explained. "He wants to bring people with him and lead from the front, and I love that. Plus, he's captained England and knows what it's like to play and win on the biggest stage."
Lawes Officially 'Un-Retires' from International Duty
Lawes, who represented England at four World Cups and earned 105 caps with three Six Nations titles during his 17-year tenure at Northampton, is convinced he has more to offer. "My body feels good, and I'm still performing at a high level. I feel like I can compete with the best of them, and then some," he said. "If I retired now, I'd probably regret it when I was older."
Reflecting on his career, Lawes added, "As a rugby player, you've got a very finite career, and you're a long time retired, so I want to make the most of it while I can. I'm officially un-retiring from international duty, and I'd love to play for England again, but first and foremost, I want to play well for Sale, and we'll see what happens after that."
Sale Sharks Face Manpower Crisis Ahead of Champions Cup Quarter-Final
Meanwhile, Sale are grappling with a manpower crisis ahead of their Champions Cup quarter-final trip to Dublin to face Leinster this Saturday. England squad members Luke Cowan-Dickie and Bevan Rodd have both been ruled out for the rest of the domestic season, compounding the team's challenges.
In a further setback, Sale's hooker Nathan Jibulu has received a six-week ban for biting his former Harlequins teammate Will Hobson during the final quarter of Sale's 26-17 win over Quins at the Stoop. The 23-year-old admitted to foul play warranting a red card, escaping a longer 12-week ban due to his guilty plea, relative inexperience, and previously clean record.
Sanderson views the incident as "a blip in what is going to be a very long and successful career" and believes it will "shape the kind of player he is going to be." Despite concerns that it might affect Jibulu's chances of being selected by Steve Borthwick for England's summer tour, Sanderson remains optimistic. "He's good now, he's going to be brilliant," he asserted. "He's certainly got the attributes to be an international hooker."
