YOUNG GUNS
SALE SHARKS CENTRE
One year on from the collapse of the prestigious academy at Yorkshire Carnegie, homegrown product Jack Metcalf says there is ‘no club he would rather be at’ than Sale Sharks after being extended a warm welcome at the Premiership club.
Much like long-time friend Dan Lancaster, the former Tykes centre was left at a crossroads as the coronavirus pandemic hit Leeds’ already troubled finances and led to the RFU’s proposed partnership with Leeds Beckett University to fall through.
But Metcalf, seen in the same mould as Ollie Devoto, has moved on to the top level after the ‘gutting’ experience of seeing the Tykes academy disbanded.
“It was such a shame because there is such a vast amount of talent in Yorkshire,” Metcalf told TRP. “You look at the likes of Ollie Fox down at Bath, Dan Lancaster has gone to Leicester, Josh Bainbridge at Coventry, Jack Walker at Harlequins, Danny Care. It makes you imagine what could happen if there was a Leeds club in the Premiership.
“It is such a big region, and I feel for some boys because do they drive the extra hour to Newcastle or Sale after the Leeds academy folded? “I got the call from Fergus (Mulchrone) at the Sale Sharks academy and he said he wanted me to go in and train with them. It was a one-week trial and from there they kept asking me to go back and train more and more.
“I arrived a week after Alex (Sanderson) joined in January and was offered a contract in March.”
It is not Metcalf’s first taste of an elite environment, having travelled with Lancaster to Leinster for a week of training at the province where Stuart Lancaster has won five major trophies in his five years as senior coach.
That has served as a confidence booster to the player now rubbing shoulders with Manu Tuilagi and Sam James – the latter serving as a key mentor to the former Bishop Burton College back.
“Honestly, Sam James is the top lad here,” said Metcalf. “I can go to Sam and speak about anything whether it’s rugby-based or off-thefield stuff. He has been there since day one and has really helped me out. “Luke, as well, both the James brothers have been first class and the whole squad gets on together. It is one big brotherhood .
“The who le culture that Alex has brought in is immense , it really is.
Everyone is buying into it and hope fully it will bring some success.
“Manu, Denny, Byron McGuiganhave been awesome ,and then also the coach es with Paul Deacon and Fors (defence coach, Mike Fors haw).
“Paul and Mike are literally the same as Alex . They are tru stworthy, hon est and they go into such depth about cer ta in areas of the game and analysing your performance in a game.
“New signings have come in a nd the senior players and coaches are all really a pproachable – it is just agreat club to be a part of .”
