Latest news with #PaulDeacon
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Sale appoint ex-Italy lock Bortolami as head coach
Sale Sharks have appointed Marco Bortolami as head coach to work alongside director of rugby Alex Sanderson. The ex-Italy forward replaces Paul Deacon, who left the club on Wednesday after holding the role since 45, has been head coach of United Rugby Championship (URC) club Benetton for the past four former captain won 111 caps during a playing career which included four years in the Premiership with Gloucester."I'm really excited and honoured to be part of this family," Bortolami told the club's website. "The club has been building for the last few years and to have the chance now to come and contribute is unbelievable." Sale finished third in the Premiership, losing at Leicester Tigers in their play-off semi-final on was the fourth time in the past five seasons the Sharks have finished in the top four, but they have not been champions since Bortolami will bring his experience to the coaching team, having worked at Benetton since he retired from playing in 2016, firstly as an assistant before taking the top Sanderson, having someone of Bortolami's stature can help the club's push to take that next step."This is a huge coup for the club because Marco is an international-level coach," he said."But that's the level that our coaching needs to be at because that's the kind of team we've got here."
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Sale head coach Deacon departs club
Sale have parted company with head coach Paul Deacon after five years in Sharks were beaten in the Premiership semi-finals by Leicester last weekend after finishing the season in third 46-year-old joined Sale in 2015, initially as part of Steve Diamond's coaching staff, before taking over in 2020."To reach four semi-finals out of five seasons has been incredible – my only regret is that we didn't manage to win the Premiership but I've got no doubt that will come," Deacon told the Sale website., external Deacon switched codes from rugby league to take up a role as attack coach at Sale having won four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and the World Club Challenge during a glittering career as a player with both Bradford Bulls and Wigan expect to announce details of their coaching line-up for next season "in the coming days" and the club's director of rugby Alex Sanderson paid tribute to the departing Deacon."For the last five years he's been the first person I call on a Sunday, " he said."He's been the most diligent, the most hard-working and the most dependable head coach and for me on a personal level, he's been a rock."
