Northern rugby does matter and we're proving it say Twickenham-bound Sale Sharks
When George Ford kicked the penalty that sent Sale to their first Premiership Final since 2006 his first thought was not for himself.
Nor even his team mates and his coaches. He was thinking bigger than that.
He looked at the full stands in a stadium not used to such a sight, to kids in Sale shirts rather than the colours of Manchester United or City. And he felt a sense of pride.
“I’ve never heard it or seen it like that,” said the England fly-half. “We speak about it all the time, one of our reasons why is to make the people up here proud and interested in rugby union.
“It’s obviously challenging with football and rugby league but we’re doing our utmost to have an effect on these young kids.”
Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors offered Premier 15s places after controversy
Oldham-born Ford left champions Leicester for a club without a major trophy in 17 years in large part because he wanted to revive rugby in the region he calls home.
Sale boss Alex Sanderson, born an hour down the road, did the same when heading back from trophy-rich Saracens, Sharks' Twickenham opponents on May 27.
Premier League leaders Manchester City (above) and Super League winners St Helens are just two of the rival attractions in Sale's catchment area (PA)
(PA)“I feel super proud that we’re flying the flag,” Sanderson said. “I can't talk too much about it because I start to cry and get too emotional.
“To come home, to this team - the team I played for, captained, that my brother played for, that my dad played against - it's a bit of a dream, isn't it?”
The year Sanderson was born the North of England handed the All Blacks the only defeat of their 1979 tour in Otley. Those were the days of Bill Beaumont and Fran Cotton, John Carleton and Mike Slemen, stars of England and the Lions.
Chester-born Sale boss Alex Sanderson (above) and (below) Ford with young Sharks fans on Sunday (David Rogers/Getty Images)
(Getty Images for Sale Sharks)Club success for a region saturated by football and rugby's other code has remained elusive. Sir John Hall’s Newcastle lifted the Premiership in 1998 and Jason Robinson captained Sale to glory eight years later.
As recently as October Sharks co-owner Simon Orange took to Twitter to bemoan “too many empty seats” and warn they needed more fans “if rugby is going to grow - and rugby needs to grow to avoid clubs getting in trouble”.
Wasps and Worcester promptly went bust and London Irish are now in peril. But there is new hope at Sale at a time when England are coached by men from Cumbria (Steve Borthwick) and Oldham (Kevin Sinfield) with a captain (Owen Farrell) from Wigan.
Ford: “Rugby union up here has its challenges as we all know" (Getty Images)“It's a start,” said Sanderson. “And that's how we have to view it”.
Ford added: “All we can do as a club is try to give the people a winning team that care and compete.
Sale insist Ford will return 'fitter, stronger and more robust' for England
“Rugby union up here has its challenges as we all know. But if we can inspire kids to come and play, northern lads playing for Sale, that's what we want.”
Cash-strapped London Irish have been handed May 30 deadline by RFU (PA)London Irish have been given a fortnight to convince the RFU that the club can be funded next season - or they will be kicked out of league rugby..
Irish, who finished fifth in the Premiership, are in the middle of a protracted takeover bid from an American-backed consortium.
The RFU have demanded the takeover is completed or that Irish provide proof that they can meet their financial obligations by May 30 - or they wil be suspended for next season.
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