Sale Sharks can confirm that scrum-half Raffi Quirke will leave the club at the end of the current season.
The Chorlton-born 24-year-old, who came through the club’s academy system and played his junior rugby at Broughton Park, became Shark number 333 when he made his debut in February 2021.
When he took to the field that day against Harlequins as a 19-year-old, he also became Sale’s youngest ever Prem scrum-half.
Raffi has gone on to make 80 appearances for his boyhood club, including 31 starts. This season he has started five games and come off the bench four times.
On the international scene, Raffi made his England debut in 2021, scoring a memorable try as Eddie Jones’s side beat South Africa at Twickenham. He has since won one further cap.
Speaking about his departure, Raffi said: “This has been the hardest decision of my life so far because Sale is the club that I grew up supporting and dreaming of playing for.
“Playing here since I was 15 has been an amazing experience and a privilege that has shaped me as a player and a person and I will be forever grateful to Alex, the owners, the coaches, the players and the supporters for truly believing in me.
“It goes without saying that I will give everything I have for the rest of the season to bring success to Sale.
“I have always seen rugby as my opportunity to explore different environments, people and places. I feel, for my rugby and personal development, that my story just needs a new challenge and a new setting.”
Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Raffi and as a homegrown player who grew up supporting the club, we all would have loved for him to continue his career with us.
“He feels like he wants to try a new environment and a new challenge and we respect his decision. He’ll leave with our blessing and thanks for everything that he’s given to the club while he’s been here.”
