Get To Know Your Sharks | November 2022

get tO knOW YOur

LUKE

Versatile back Luke James joined older brother Sam in the Sale Sharks ranks in 2017, after graduating through the Sharks Academy.

Equally as happy in the centre as he is at full back, Luke made his professional debut against Saracens in September that year.

He gained his first England U20 cap on May 11, 2018 against the Junior Springboks at Sixways Stadium and a year later, he was called up to the U20s World Championship, where he gained a further four caps.

Luke’s former teacher at Wilmslow High, Matt Bebbington, said: “Any time you watch Sale when you see Sam or Luke play, there is a huge sense of pride that they have come through the ranks at Wilmslow Hugh School and that we played a small part in their development.”

LAUREN DELANY

WINGER

Winger Lauren Delany joined Sale Sharks Women in August 2020 and became co-captain of the team alongside Georgie PerrisRedding in 2022.

She was a late convert to rugby having spent her youth playing basketball. She represented Ireland at basketball at under 16s level, competing in the Basketball Ireland Women’s Superleague with Meteors Basketball Club.

At the age of 25 Lauren moved to England to do her masters degree and joined Bletchley Ladies, before moving to Waterloo Ladies who, at the time, played in the Premier15s.

Lauren moved to the wing in 2020, and scored her first Six Nations try against Wales in the 2020 Women’s Six Nations. In August 2020 she joined Sale Sharks Women.

Off the field, Lauren worked as the nutritionist for the Super League rugby league men’s team Leeds Rhinos for two seasons before joining Sale Sharks as their lead nutritionist for the men’s and academy team in 2022.

BEN CURRYEFLANKER

BEN CURRY

Flanker Ben Curry came through the Sharks academy and made his first team debut at the age of 18 in November 2016 against Wasps. Born in Cheshire, he is the nephew of former England hooker John Olver.

Ben was named in the England U20 squad for the 2016/17 season, having previously represented the U18s, and ended the season as part of the England U20 squad that won the Grand Slam in the U20 Six Nations. He was named as captain of the U20s in May 2018.

Ben received his first England call-up in 2017, but injury forced him out of the summer tour to Argentina. He had to wait four years until his next call-up and finally made his international debut in July 2021 as a replacement against the USA at Twickenham.

LAURA PERRIN

LAURA PERRIN

Powerful centre Laura Perrin joined Sharks Women when the team was formed ahead of the 2019/20 Allianz Premier15s season.

But her rugby journey goes back to 2005 when a six year old Laura first picked up the oval ball and played with her brother in the garden. She eventually grew tired of watching on from the sidelines and joined Fylde Rugby Club, where she stayed until she switched from mixed rugby to girl’s rugby at under 12s level.

A former Lytham St Annes High School pupil, Laura spent time at Vale of Lune, and then Liverpool St Helens Rugby Club, before joining West Park Park St Helens, where she stayed for three years before becoming a Shark.

Off the pitch, she works as a Community Rugby Coach at the Sale Sharks Foundation, and is involved with the DPP as well as Project Rugby and the Are You AOK? programme run in conjunction with club partner AO.