Sharks fan, the ‘Curry Bros’ have some brilliant news to bring you as Ben and Tom have officially signed new contracts with the club, with both England internationals penning lucrative new deals.
That’s right, brothers Tom and Ben Curry have announced they will be staying with Sale Sharks for the foreseeable future, each agreeing to brand new extensions with the Greater Manchester side.
As two of the most gifted players currently playing not just at Salford Community Stadium but in the country full stop, the 26-year-old twins are arguably Sale‘s biggest assets, and they simply couldn’t afford to lose them.
Thankfully, following a joyously received announcement video on Wednesday, 30 April, they don’t have to worry about that until at least 2027.
After making their debuts for the senior team almost a decade ago when they were just 18, the pair have gone on to become rugby union stars and stalwarts in the back row.
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Current team captain Ben Curry has now played 184 games for the Sharks, and brother Tom has 60 appearances for England, with both having notched numerous caps and personal achievements from a young age.
Their debut 2016 season saw the dynamic duo pick up joint ‘Young Player of the Season’ in a historic moment for the Gallagher Premiership, and they’ve only gone from strength to strength since.
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With that being said, tying them down for another two years minimum is a big coup for the club.
Speaking on his new contract, Ben said: “This is my childhood club. I can remember being there to watch the final game at Edgeley Park and now to be club captain means everything.
“I’m enjoying where I’m at right now and I think there are opportunities to win trophies in the coming years. It’s really cool to see where the club is now compared to when we first joined, and I want to keep building on that…
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“I fully believe in Alex and what [he], Simon, Michelle and Ged are building and I want to be a part of it.”
𝗜𝗧'𝗦 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚
We are delighted to announce Tom and Ben will be staying up North 🔥
As for brother Tom, he went on to say: “I grew up watching and loving Sale Sharks and to me, this is the pinnacle and I don’t want to leave.
“We’ve said for so long that this club has potential and we’re close, but I don’t feel that’s right any more. We’re there and I really believe that whether it’s this season or next, this team will win the big trophies. That’s what excites me day to day.
“There are so many good young players coming through at the moment and it makes me really proud to be able to play a part. We’ve added some brilliant international players and it’s made it a really special place to be.”
In terms of local talent, the Cheshire-born flankers have become firm Northern favourites and will age still on their side, both Sale and England can look to continue building squads with them in mind for years to come.
As for boss Alex Sanderson, he added: “I’m so happy because we were desperate to keep both Ben and Tom. They’re so good, so special, so important to the team and we’re blessed to have them.
“They’re almost superhuman and I marvel at some of the things they do. They lead by example, they put the team first all the time, they play through pain, through fatigue and they challenge me and the environment every day.
“They epitomise everything that I want this team to be about and while they’re much better than I ever was, their skills on and off the field are everything that I value.” Sale haven’t wasted time when it comes to business before next season, but securing contracts for both Ben and Tom Curry might be their best.
Noting that the two actually haven’t played as much rugby together as anyone would have liked, for England’s sake, here’s hoping we get to see plenty more of them sharing the pitch moving forward.
MCR Basketball to play special knockout game for the 2026 MOBO Awards in Manchester
Danny Jones
Manchester Basketball are set to play an exclusive knockout game here as part of the official MOBOs Fringe events for 2026, with this year’s awards coming to Co-op Live.
There’s a place in the last eight if they can seal a victory, too.
After what feels like a tricky couple of years for Greater Manchester’s main basketball franchise, things look to be on the up for the local team.
Rebrands and rebuilds aside, the Super League side is gradually climbing back up the standings, and with their European North Basketball League (ENBL) campaign still going strong, they could book their spot in the quarters with a win ahead of a big partnered evening in just a few weeks.
Set to face off against Croatian outfit, KK Dubrava, from Zagreb on 10 March, just a couple of weeks before the MOBO Awards get underway in Manchester, the match will be one of several events that the organisation are collaborating with.
With this year marking the MOBOs’ 30th anniversary year and, like with the BRITs, our city set to host it for the first time ever, this special game sets the tone for what’s to come in and around event week.
Fans can expect not just the major red carpet moments, but live DJs spinning hip-hop and afrobeats (courtesy of DJ Kay and special guest, DJ G2), plus a live halftime performance from a MOBO artist.
It’s yet to be confirmed who’ll be popping up centre court, but watch this space…
In case you missed the previous announcements, the 2026 MOBO Awards will see global rap icon Eve and acclaimed comedian and broadcaster Eddie Kadi host the landmark night for the North, not mention lots of other exciting stuff throughout the full Fringe schedule.
Performances already confirmed on the night include rising British superstar Olivia Dean, as well as FLO and Tiwa Savage, with more still to come.
Better still, for MCR Basketball, they also have the Super League Cup final coming up over at the AO Arena next month, too.
Tickets for all of these events are live now and available to purchase as we speak.
However, with prices for Manchester Basketball vs Dubrava, specifically, priced at just £5, we don’t expect these ones to last long.
Once again, set to be hosted on Tuesday, 10 March at the National Basketball Performance Centre over in Belle Vue, the tip-off is set for 7pm; you can secure your seats HERE.
And in case you were wondering what other big competitive events are coming to Manchester, Co-op Live is booked for its first-ever big sporting final.
Featured Images — Peter Simmons/Publicity pictures (supplied)
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Kate Scott praised for impassioned speech following more racism in Champions League
Danny Jones
Football pundit and sports presenter Kate Scott has been met with plenty of praise for her ‘expert’ handling of the fallout following more racism in the Champions League this week, delivering an emotional and impassioned speech about discrimination live on TV.
The Manchester-born broadcaster, formerly Kate Abdo, was serving as the host on her usual CBS Sports panel on Tuesday, 17 February, when the story of the playoff game between Benfica and Real Madrid – which included a worldie from Vinicius Jr. – was overshadowed by more allegations of racial abuse.
In case you missed it, Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making racist remarks by both Vini Jr and Kylian Mbappe, but supposedly covered his mouth so as not to be caught on camera; the match was then stopped for more than 11 minutes.
Speaking in the aftermath amid the following European fixtures the next day, the Withington-schooled journalist and University of Salford graduate delivered an eloquent reaction to the controversy with peak professionalism.
Absolutely pitch perfect, and all those involved in preparing the statement should be applauded.
While Scott herself recognised that it’s a shame we even have to keep talking about issues like these rather than the sheer simplistic beauty of, well, ‘the beautiful game’, her response is an example of the job being done at arguably its very best: factual, ethical, moving and inspiring.
As you can see, Scott goes on to say, “This isn’t Real Madrid versus Benfica – it is right versus wrong. Vini Junior and Kylian Mbappe said that there was repeated racial abuse.
“Gianluca Prestiani said they misheard, but he covered his mouth to hide what he said from the cameras, and hopefully, we can all agree that if what you are saying on a football pitch is shameful enough to have to hide it from the public, then you’re wrong.”
The Portuguese club, which ultimately lost 1-0 in their first leg at home on the night, have released a statement reaffirming their commitment to “equality, respect, and inclusion” but reiterates that they believe Prestiani and feel he is now the subject of a “defamation campaign”.
Conversely, in a definitive and emphatic closing message, she signs off by adding the following: “The racial diversity on a football pitch in the Champions League is the representation of the global love for this game and the global belonging in this game. This is the very spirit of football.
“And if you don’t agree, then respectfully, you are the one who doesn’t belong.”
This is what the Athletic is supposed to be. Telling important stories & giving in depth analysis. I hope this signals that it will be its focus moving forward.
From CBS ‘Golazo’ show being applauded for tackling the subject head-on, to Cross herself being labelled as everything from “a role model” and “a benchmark” to “the best on the planet” in the outpouring of reactions on social media, it’s fair to say they absolutely nailed it.
Sadly, this is one of many recent examples of prejudice being shared publicly across various UEFA tournaments and beyond in recent years, but the only way we can truly help anti-hate initiatives is by continuing to call them out.
Danny Jones -
30th April 2025 
