Twelve years on from making his dreams come true, boyhood fan James will depart Sale this summer as a club legend.

Sam James has been a trailblazer for homegrown talent at Sale Sharks and 15 years after being a ball boy at the club, the next stage of his journey is a Premiership semi-final against champions Exeter Chiefs.

Sale Sharks’ northern roots are still evident under Alex Sanderson as the club begin to settle into a new era.