Simon Hammersley to retire at the end of the season

Sale Sharks can today confirm that full-back Simon Hammersley will leave the club and retire from rugby at the end of the current season to pursue a career outside the sport.

The 29-year-old joined the club from Newcastle Falcons ahead of the 2019/20 season, and has played 59 times for Sharks, including 16 games this season.

Originally from Hull, Simon studied at Durham University with Sharks teammate Josh Beaumont and started his professional rugby career with the Falcons in 2013. 

He made his Premiership debut in 2014 at just 21 and his form in his first two years of first team rugby was rewarded with a call up to the England Saxons squad to tour South Africa in 2016.

He joined Sharks on a three-year deal at the end of the 2019 season after Newcastle’s relegation to the Championship, and his first year at the AJ Bell was his most successful to date as he made more metres (1,813) than any other player, and beat 68 defenders with 24 line breaks, better than any full-back in the Premiership.