Holly Aitchison Exclusive: It’s massively important to me to hit new heights with Sale

Sale Sharks Women have experienced a mixed season so far in Premiership Women’s Rugby, showing flashes of promise with an attacking game that leads to tries and pushes sides.

However, consistency has been elusive, and they currently sit seventh in the table with just one win to their name.

The club’s ambitious summer recruitment included the high-profile signing of England fly-half Holly Aitchison, a World Cup winner and someone who is more than capable of pulling Sale's strings.

The 28-year-old has featured in nine of the Sharks’ PWR games this season, playing the full 80 minutes in all but one. Since returning to the North-West from Bristol Bears, she has clearly brought experience, creativity, and leadership to Sale’s backline.

But Aitchison’s impact extends beyond shaping their attacking structure on the pitch. Off the field, she has played a key role in raising the club’s profile and inspiring younger players in the region.

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"I have loved being back in the North-West," Aitchison tells TRU. “Part of the reason that I signed back up here was because I think it’s important to have role models, England internationals, that play in the North-West.

"Being from here, I obviously wanted to do that at some point in my career, and I’d spoken to Michelle (Michelle Orange -co-owner of Sale) a couple of times about coming back up, but it just wasn’t the right time. I’m now just glad that this season everything just seemed to kind of fit."

Sale Sharks Women entered the 2025-26 season with a fresh coaching structure designed to take the programme to the next level.

Head coach Tom Hudson and defence coach Charlie Beckett have forged a strong partnership, bringing fresh ideas, energy, and regional identity to the programme.

Aitchison admits that the change in coaching staff played a role in her decision to return to Sale.

"I was keen to work with Tom Hudson," she adds. "I’d heard good things about his creativity in attacking rugby, so I was massively bought into that from the start. I’ve grown up with a lot of the girls, too. It’s been nice to reconnect and experience the culture everyone talks about. It’s a family tight-knit group of girls. I’ve been absolutely loving it."

Having previously played in PWR finals with Saracens and Bristol Bears [alongside two World Cup finals], Aitchison brings invaluable big-game experience to Sale Sharks, and her desire to keep reaching new heights is a major driving force in her role at the club.

“It’s massively important to me”, she continues. “I didn’t come here with the ambition to sit down the lower end of the table. I don’t think anyone at the club has that ambition, but it’s just been the reality the last few years.

"We’re trying to emulate what the boys have been doing in recent years [Sale's Men's side have reached the play-offs in each of the last three seasons].

"It’s been great to see what it’s like day to day. It helps that we train at the same place as the men. We have access to the exact same environments. It’s been amazing."

When asked whether having internationals like Amy Cokayne, Morwenna [Talling], and others with World Cup experience adds something extra to Sale, Aitchison says it’s been nothing but positive.

“Having extra internationals in the side can only be a positive," she says. "It shows the calibre of player we’re bringing in, but I think especially being in the North, it incentivises people to come and watch.

"We’re in a difficult position geographically. We’re competing with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City. The more people that can resonate with internationals that we’re pulling in on social media, I think that will help.

"Our social media guy, Will, works hard on the social media side of things to engage new fans. They’re doing a lot of work in the background to lay the foundations for new fans. It all feeds in."

In addition to competing at the highest level in the PWR, Aitchison recently rejoined the Red Roses for England’s first training camp of the new cycle at Pennyhill Park. The squad is preparing for the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, which kicks off in two months.

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This was the first time the players had reunited since becoming World Cup winners last September.

“It was nice but also weird being back, it was like we’d never left!" Aitchison says.

"Everything seems to come around so quickly when you work in those campaigns. It’s only a couple of months until we’re fully back into camp. It’s been so good, though. I’m so looking forward to starting a new cycle.

"As a team, we want to continue that winning streak come the Six Nations [England have won 33 games in a row]. We want to win the Grand Slam and win the WXV. Personally, I’d love to see us sell out Allianz Stadium. That’s high on my list! I’d love to see it be more of a regular occurrence.”

Aitchison and the Red Roses capped off a remarkable year last year by earning a nomination for the prestigious Sports Personality Team of the Year award.

Ellie Kildunne narrowly missed out on top spot for the individual accolade, finishing as runner-up, but England's recognition at SPOTY underscores the growing impact and visibility of women’s rugby.

“It was amazing to see the year that women in sport had," Aitchison adds.

"It was great to see the spotlight on us and what we had achieved. It was great to see rugby in particular on that platform. We’ve never had that. Ellie being nominated for the award sort of told you everything you needed to know about what the World Cup had done.

"It was amazing to see how many eyes were on the World Cup. To be in the same category as the Ryder Cup and the Lionesses was incredible.”

Red Roses involvement for Aitchison is approaching, but her immediate focus remains on turning Sale’s promise into tangible results.

The Sharks began 2026 with a narrow 30-29 loss at Bristol Bears before falling 22-7 to champions Gloucester-Hartpury last weekend.

Aitchison and Sale face their next challenge away at Trailfinders Women on Saturday, who currently sit fifth in the table.