Sale Sharks tie down 20-year-old hooker Alfie Longstaff until 2029

Sale Sharks have signed hooker Alfie Longstaff, 20, to a new contract running until 2029, per BBC Sport. Longstaff made 11 first-team appearances in his breakthrough 2024-25 season, including four successive Premiership outings during the run-in — rare exposure for a teenager in a position that demands scrum and lineout technical maturity. Director of rugby Alex Sanderson has a track record of promoting youth.