Sharks have never won the Anglo-Welsh competition despite making two finals and this year’s campaign gives them the chance to blood some youngsters as well as give recovering players valuable match time, including Braid who returns after injury on day one

Uefa president Michel Platini’s support for the sin-bin rule to be applied in football has brought about the question of whether the beautiful game is going through too many changes

The Prince is a big fan of Rugby Union and is visiting the rugby club in Salford as part of his role as Patron of England Rugby’s All Schools Programme

More than 7,000 youngsters will participate over the course of the season in search of a spot in the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup ‘Parade of Champions’ during half-time of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final.

Former England international Mark Cueto has stressed the important role senior players have in guiding the development of younger members of the team, and is hopeful of contributing towards a successful season for Sale in what is likely to be his last

The Mancunian ensemble, who are best known for their 1989 iconic anthem ‘Sit Down’, have more than 20 UK top 40 singles to their name

Luke Rhoden, 25, was in Ibiza for a stag do in San Antonia when he plunged from a first floor balcony on September 2 at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel

Jones is expected to return to a Bristol shirt in November, which will rule him out of Wales’ autumn internationals but with a World Cup on the horizon in 2015 the No.8 is refusing to wave the white flag just yet.

The 33-year-old, currently undergoing rehabilitation on a knee injury, was impressed with fly-half Cipriani’s performances on the tour in New Zealand as Sale look ahead to the new season.

Christchurch-born Paterson played for an England XV against the Barbarians at the start of the month and England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster has decided to add the former Hurricane as cover.

As Saracens and Northampton Saints battled it out for Aviva Premiership glory in Saturday’s final, Stockport under-11s also descended on Rugby HQ.