Former Buchan pupil Bevan Rodd has signed a new contract with Premiership Rugby side Sale Sharks.
The England prop has committed his future to the Greater Manchester outfit by putting pen to paper on a new three-year deal which will keep him at the club until 2027.
Born in Scotland, Rodd was raised in the Isle of Man before moving to Sedbergh School in Cumbria where he played a key role in the school’s Daily Mail Schools Trophy Final triumph in December 2017.
He then progressed through the Sale Sharks academy and made his first team debut in 2019, since going on to make almost 80 appearances for the Premiership outfit, although he is currently sidelined with injury.
The 23-year-old has also represented England at under-16s, under-18s, under-20s and senior international level, winning six full caps and featuring at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, scoring against Chile and helping England win the bronze medal match against Argentina.
Speaking about his new contract, Rodd commented: ‘There was never any doubt about wanting to stay. This club means a lot to me, I get to play rugby with some of my best mates every day, and I know it’s the best place for me to develop my game and grow on and off the field.
‘We’ve shown we can compete for the big trophies and I’m really excited to see what this group can achieve together in the years to come.’
Sale Sharks’ director of rugby Alex Sanderson added: ‘Bevan will play for the British and Irish Lions – I’m really confident about that. He’s one of the most talented looseheads I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and I’ve been lucky to work with a few.
‘He had to improve his set-piece and a lot of that comes with age, size and weight. You can see from his performances in the World Cup and this season so far that he’s done that.
‘He plays like a back-rower but I think his x-factor is the energy that he brings to the team when he runs onto the field. It’s characters that win you trophies and you can see how much fight and desire Bevan has to win with this club.
‘We have loads of really talented young props but Bevan is international class now and he’s only 23 years old. How good will he be in a couple of years?
‘He’s really exciting and I’m buzzing that he wants to stay here.’
l Bevan’s parents Stephen and Fiona still live in the island and he is due to visit later this month for the Isle of Man Sports Awards in which he is nominated for the Sportsman of the Year accolade.
The awards ceremony takes place at the Villa Marina’s Royal Hall on February 28 at 8.15pm.
Tickets are available at https://www.villagaiety.com/whats-on/2023-isle-of-man-sports-awards/