Courtney Lawes

A genuine legend of the world game, Courtney Lawes joined Sharks on a one year deal ahead of the 2026/27 Gallagher PREM season. 

The versatile forward, who can play at lock or in the back row, won 105 caps for his country during a 14-year international career that included four Rugby World Cups and five Lions caps across two tours. 

On the domestic scene he played almost 300 times for his boyhood club, Northampton Saints, and captained them to their first Gallagher PREM title in ten years in 2024. 

That 2024 PREM final, against Bath, would be his final game in green and gold before leaving for French side Brive. 

After two years in the south of France he made the move back across the channel to join Sharks’ Northern Force and have one last crack at English rugby’s biggest prize. 

On joining Sharks, Courtney said: “I’m really excited to be joining Sale. I’ve been out of the Prem now for a couple of years and I just want to finish my career playing at a the top level. I think Sale have got a brilliant squad so hopefully I can add to that and we’ll see what we can do next year. 

“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, and I think if I retired now, I’d probably regret it when I was older. 

“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, give it everything for another season and then we’ll see what happens.”