Sale Sharks have signed former British Army prop Sophie Benavant from Leicester Tigers ahead of the 2025/26 PWR season.
The powerful tighthead, who is a Corporal in the Royal Army Medical Services (RAMS) joined Tigers at the start of the 2024/25 season after impressing coaches with her performances for the British Army Women’s XV.
She played 14 games for Leicester and started in the number three shirt in the fixture against Sharks Women, played at the Salford Stadium in December, 2024
Sophie only started playing rugby in 2021 and moved to Worcester for the 2022/23 season, playing four games for the club.
Sophie said: “I really enjoyed working with Tom and Luke at Leicester and having that continuity of coaching was a big factor in wanting to move to Sale. I’m really looking forward to working with them again.
“There are so many fantastic players at Sale in my position – some who I played with last season. I’m excited to play with them again and learn from the internationals who have joined the club too.
“I have only been playing for four years so I’m still learning. I’m looking forward to coming into an environment where everyone is pushing each other. I know the club wants more and I think we can really make an impact this season.”
Sharks Women Head Coach Tom Hudson said: “Sophie is one of the best up and coming tightheads in the country. She’s so new to the game and she splits her time between her rugby and the Army but she is such a hard worker.
“With almost no coaching she was the fulcrum of what was one of the best scrums in the league last season at Leicester so she has so much potential.
“It’s really exciting to think of where she can get to in the next few years with some more coaching.”
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