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.
There are pairs of tickets to a load of events up for grabs as part of ‘The Great Christmas Giveaway’
Danny Jones
International ticketing platform See Tickets is gifting selected pairs of tickets to a lucky bunch this winter as part of ‘The Great Christmas Giveaway’.
After all, they do call it the ‘season of giving’.
Teaming up with promotion partners, music artists and other organisers, See Tickets has decided to give out a bunch of passes, ranging from gigs and sporting events to theatre and comedy.
We wouldn’t be doing our jobs properly if we didn’t at least try to let you in on the possibility of winning some live entertainment freebies.
Thankfully, there are plenty of them; there are over a dozen tickets up for grabs in total, split across the six different dates running into next year.
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s on offer:
See Tickets Great Christmas Giveaway – the full list of events
Fancy seeing a Disney classic brought to life on stage? There are a possible four tickets to see Herclues: The Musical to be won, not to mention drinks vouchers and a bonus goodie bag.
All you need to do is follow @seetickets and @eventimuk on Instagram, like and share the post below to your story; tag a friend and tell your best Christmas joke by 00:01am this Monday, 8 December 2025. You can see a trailer from the highly praised performances down in the capital down below.
Two tickets to see Greg Davies
Yes, the second event revealed by See Tickets as part of this year’s Great Christmas Giveaway is the latest live stand-up tour show by the quite literally massive funny man, Greg Davies.
Playing at the Hammersmith Apollo down in London, this time you need to like, follow, share and tag a friend naming your favourite character by Tuesday, 9 December 2025 – again, before 00:01.
In case you somehow missed it, Take That are heading back out on the road for the 10th anniversary of The Circus album and tour – this time, you can pick the show of your choosing.
Same idea again: follow both pages, like and share, tag a friend, and this time, tell them your favourite album by the band. You enter by 00:01 this Thursday, 11 December.
This one is for all the rock fans. Slam Dunk Festival celebrates 20 years next summer, and what better way to toast the milestone than to be there not only in the flesh but in VIP?
You can pick either North or South, but let’s be honest – Leeds is the only place to be. Follow the same terms as above, and then just tell the comments which artist you’re most excited to see. Again, entry closes at 00:01 on Thursday (11 Dec).
Never giving up on a Rick Astley gig
Up next, how about seeing a living music legend of the North West on his upcoming arena tour? The one and only Rick Astley isn’t just back on the up, but if confirmed as the winner, you can select the date of your choice.
Once again, meet the usual requirements listed previously, plus leave your favourite Rick Astley song in the comments. Yes, you can pick that one – just make sure you do it by a minute after midnight on Wednesday, 10 December…
Last but not least, if you’re partial to a bit of pugilism and/or bloodsport, you can watch cult favourite combat sport Cage Warriors at your preferred venue AND win a signed pair of official Cage Warrior gloves too.
With the winner due to be announced just after midnight on Friday, 12 December, make sure you’ve met all the standard entry requirements and let other fans know which fighter you’re most looking forward to seeing. Simple as that!
Best of luck to everyone throwing names into the hat for their event of choice, and let us know in the comments if any of you win!
We’re not done there either; there are plenty of other free tickets coming up in Greater Manchester ahead of the new year, too.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/Audio North
Sport
Joey Barton officially sentenced over offensive online posts
Danny Jones
Retired footballer Joey Barton has officially been sentenced following a series of offensive posts on social media over the past year or so.
Six counts pertaining to three individuals, in particular, were highlighted when he appeared for his final hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, 8 December: online abuse directed at fellow ex-pros Eni Aluko, Lucy Ward and broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
Charged and now finally found guilty of ‘grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety’, Joey Barton has been given a six-month prison sentence – suspended for 18 months, however, meaning he won’t serve jail time unless he reoffends during this period.
Here he is queuing up outside the Crown Court earlier today:
BREAKING: Former footballer Joey Barton given six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months over "grossly offensive" social media posts about Jeremy Vine, Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko. pic.twitter.com/dQuAAT1mQu
For context, the social media posts in question refer to the ones made on X (previously known as Twitter) and directed at the aforementioned public figures.
The former Manchester City player and Liverpool youth product, who is originally from Merseyside but is now based around Widnes in Cheshire, was found guilty on Friday despite insisting his innocence throughout.
Barton – now 43 and having become a vocal far-right commentator – compared Aluko and Ward to two of the most infamous convicted serial killers in British history, writing that they were “the Fred and Rose West of football commentary” back in January 2024.
He also labelled radio host and TV presenter, Vine, a “bike nonce” in a post that he later went on to dismiss as nothing more than “crude banter” and an attempt at “dark and stupid humour”, stating that he has no intention of actually suggesting he was a paedophile.
Elsewhere in the court appearance, Barton claimed that he is a victim of “political prosecution”; nevertheless, the judge found that the one-time England international (who also played for Newcastle, QPR, Burnley, Rangers and Marseille) “crossed the line between free speech and a crime.”
You can see the moment Judge Andrew Menary handed down the verdict, which will see him avoid time in custody once more, in full down below.
As per an official update via the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Senior Prosecutor Callum Bryce of CPS Mersey-Cheshire said: “Between early January and mid-March 2024, Barton subjected three public figures to offences of malicious communications.
“Barton said in his evidence before the court that in some of his messages he was trying to make a serious point in a provocative way and that in others he was simply joking.
“The finding of the jury confirmed that his conduct had gone beyond any joke and his messages were grossly offensive with the purpose of causing anxiety and distress to his victims.”
It’s also worth noting that he has been charged, found guilty and sentenced before already this year.
Danny Jones -
30th April 2025 
