Sale Sharks Women have agreed a deal to sign England hooker Amy Cokayne from PWR rivals Leicester Tigers Women.
Amy, who has won 83 England caps, has signed a two-year deal to join newly appointed Sharks Head Coach Tom Hudson’s squad from the start of the 2025/26 PWR season.
Amy joined Tigers from Harlequins ahead of the 23/24 season and has also played for Wasps in women’s rugby’s top flight.
The 28-year-old made her England debut against Italy in 2015 and has gone on to become a key part of the Red Roses’ pack, featuring in two World Cups.
Amy said: “I’m so excited to come up north and play for Sale. There’s been a lot of investment in the club and there’s so much passion for what is being built.
“I’ve played for a few clubs now and it’s really important to me to be at a club what has passion and drive to support the women’s team. That’s clearly the case at Sale and I want to be part of this journey to see how far we can take it.
“There have been a lot of changes at the club and next season is going to be about seeing how quickly we can bond and find a way of playing together.
“I feel like the club is really ready to bring it and make an impact in the league.”
Sharks Women Head Coach Tom Hudson said: “At the risk of sounding predictable, it’s Amy’s world class ability around the set piece that should get the north excited.
“To play the brand of rugby we want to play next year we will need to create a platform to build off and I can’t think of a better player in the PWR to secure and improve those foundations than Amy.
“But the set piece is just one of Amy’s many abilities, and in fact I would be no less surprised seeing her hit a 50/22 than the back of a lineout.
“This is a really exciting signing and it’s just the start for us. We’ve got big ambitions for this club and we’re confident that we’re building a team that can really compete in the coming seasons.”
Born in Suffolk, Amy moved to New Zealand when she was nine years old, as her father had got a job in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, a path the hooker has trodden in her own career, holding the position of Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force.
She took up rugby in New Zealand, starting off as a centre before making the switch to the front-row. She moved back to England in 2013 and joined Lichfield.
Amy made her England debut against Italy in 2015 and scored her maiden senior try against Canada in the 2015 Rugby Super Series.
She quickly became a key part of the Red Roses’ pack, and played in every game at her first Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017.
Five tries during the 2017 Six Nations made her the second highest try-scorer in the tournament. In September 2019 she was awarded a full-time England contract and went on to be an integral figure in the squad that made the final of the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup.
Amy featured in the Red Roses’ title-winning campaigns in the 2023 Six Nations and later in the inaugural WXV1 tournament in New Zealand. She was part of the squad that won the 2024 Six Nations Grand Slam and the WXV1 title later that year in Canada. She was recently named in the 2025 Six Nations squad, returning from injury to play in the final game against France.
