Worcester Warriors sign a pair of Sale Sharks forwards

Steve Diamond has made Sale Sharks pair Curtis Langdon and Cameron Neild his first signings for Warriors for the 2022/23 season.

England international hooker Langdon and back-row forward Neild both worked under Diamond during his successful ten-year stint as Sale’s Director of Rugby and will link up again with him at Sixways.

Hooker-turned-flanker Cameron has been at the club since 2013, when he joined the Sharks Academy after leaving Manchester Grammar School. He made his first team debut the following year and he has gone on to make more than 130 appearances for the club, scoring six tries.

Curtis Langdon has made 89 appearances for Sharks, scoring 14 tries, since he joined the club’s academy from London Irish in August 2016. He made his first start against Saracens that season, scoring his first try against Leicester Tigers.

Diamond is currently working as Warriors Lead Rugby Consultant but he will succeed Alan Solomons as Director of Rugby at the end of the season.

“Curtis has developed into top Premiership player. He is an excellent, mobile and aggressive hooker with very good set piece skills and a good working knowledge of the Premiership,” Diamond said.

“He comes from a tough background and will be an excellent addition to the Warriors squad.

“I’m delighted that Cam has also agreed to join me here.

“He is an exceptional player in both attack and defence. He’s a tough and uncompromising Premiership animal.”

Langdon, 24, was capped twice by England last summer against USA and Canada at Twickenham having developed under the tutelage of Diamond at Sale who signed him after he had been released from London Irish’s senior academy in 2016.

“I have worked with Dimes before. I know how is going to run the place and, after meeting with him, everything is very positive and I am keen to be part of the team he is putting together at Worcester,” Langdon said.

“I am keen for the new challenge and I would like to be part of their success moving forward.

“Dimes gave me my first opportunity at Sale which I shall always be grateful to him for.

“He’s passionate about getting results and making Worcester successful. He wants all his players to be proud of wearing the shirt.”

Neild began his career as a hooker but has played the majority of his senior rugby in the back-row and has been capped by England at Under-16 and Under-18 levels. Having spent most of his Sale career working with Diamond, Neild is looking forward to renewing the partnership at Sixways.

“It’s an exciting time at Worcester and I’m looking forward to being part of that, helping to push them into the top eight,” Neild said.

“I was with Dimes when we did the same thing at Sale and we got into what was the Heineken Cup at the time. I’m looking forward to working with again and hopefully we can repeat that success.

“I know how he works and we both come from the same kind of background so I’m looking forward to re-joining him at Worcester.

“He’s straight-up, he’s honest and hard-working. But if you put hard work in you enjoy the rewards of being successful.

“I probably share the same mentality to him so we complement each other well.”