Lawes 'out of England retirement' and joining Sale

Former England captain Courtney Lawes says he is "officially unretiring from international duty" after signing for Sale Sharks for the 2026-27 season.

The 37-year-old second row won three Six Nations championships and played in the 2019 World Cup final during a glittering 14-year England career before retiring from internationals after the 2023 tournament.

Lawes spent his club career with Northampton Saints, winning two Prem titles, before joining French side Brive in 2024.

"I'm officially un-retiring from international duty and I'd love to play for England again but first and foremost I want to play well for Sale and we'll see what happens after that," he told Sale's website, external.

Lawes made his debut for Saints in 2007 and earned his first England cap two years later.

He was part of England's Six Nations grand slam-winning squad in 2016 and went on to win the championship twice more in 2017 and 2020.

He also featured in four World Cups as the Red Rose exited in the pools stage of the home tournament in 2015, before going all the way to the final in Japan four years later, where they were beaten by South Africa in Yokohama.

Lawes' final England cap came in the semi-final of the 2023 tournament in Paris when England were again eliminated by the Springboks.