Zoe Stratford Joins Sale Sharks After Leading England to World Cup Glory
Zoe Stratford, England's World Cup-winning captain, has confirmed her move to Sale Sharks. The 29-year-old, who guided England to their third World Cup title last year, will depart from Gloucester-Hartpury, the three-time defending Premiership Women's Rugby champions, at the end of the current season. Stratford, who joined Gloucester-Hartpury in 2017, played a pivotal role in their ascent to dominance in women's rugby. As she prepares for motherhood, with her first child due in September, she looks forward to reuniting with her husband, Luke, who serves as Sale's women's scrum coach. In her own words, Stratford expressed: "I feel ready to take the next step in my career and, being pregnant, I really want to bring my child up as a northerner." She added that her husband enjoys the environment at Sale, praising the club's commitment to investing in the women's team, stating: "It's been brilliant to see how much investment Sale have put into the women's team and it's something I can't wait to be a part of." Stratford aims to leverage her success with Gloucester and the England national team to instill a winning mentality in Sale, emphasizing her belief in their potential to achieve great things. Notably, Tatyana Heard, another teammate from Gloucester-Hartpury and England, also signed with Sale last week. Currently, Sale Sharks are experiencing their best Premiership season ever, competing fiercely with Harlequins and Trailfinders for a coveted playoff position with only two rounds remaining.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-05-25