Former England captain Courtney Lawes is returning to the Prems to join Sale at the end of the season after two years at French club Brive.
The 37-year-old retired from international rugby after the 2023 Rugby World Cup and moved to France after winning the 2023-24 Premiership title with Northampton Saints.
Sale confirmed on Tuesday that he is moving to the north-west of England with his return to form making him eligible for international duty again.
Laws said: “I’m really excited to join Sale. “My body feels good and I’m still performing at a high level. I think 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’m older.
“As a rugby player, your career is very limited and you’ve been retired a long time, so I want to make the most of it while I can. I’m not officially retiring from international duty and I would love to play for England again but first and foremost I want to play well for Sale and we’ll see what happens after that.”
Alex Sanderson, Sale Sharks Director of Rugby, said: “Courtney is strong, dynamic around the park and he hits hard, but he has a fantastic skillset which means he is much more than just a blitzing player.
“Rugby is a small world and if you’re a good person, you work hard, you’re honest, and bring energy to a club, it all follows and that’s exactly what you hear about Courtney.
“He wants to bring people with him and lead from the front and I love that. Plus he’s captained England and knows what it’s like to play on the biggest stage and win.”
Lawes spent 17 years at the Saints, winning two Premiership titles and two Challenge Cup trophies. He won 105 caps and three Six Nations titles for England. Lawes also represented his country at four Rugby World Cups, finishing runners-up in the 2019 tournament and third in 2023. Brive has said that the club wanted the flanker to finish his career with them but “understands Laois’ desire to accept a new challenge”.
Brive president, Thierry Blandinières, said: “We are very proud to say that Courtney Lawes will remain a Brive player for two seasons. He arrived with humility and ambition and has demonstrated his talent to the fullest since his first day at Brive. He has given everything for the club and he will continue to give everything until the end of his adventure in black and white.”
Lawes said: “I am going to give everything until the end of the season to finish this adventure with CAB (Club Athletic Brive) in the best possible way. My family and I have received a very warm welcome at Courage and we will always hold Brive close to our hearts.”
