Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'Still motivated to perform': Sale sign free agent Jason Woodward

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Ten weeks after Gloucester announced that one-time England prospect Jason Woodward was leaving at the end of the 2021/22 season, Sale Sharks have confirmed their signing on a one-year deal of the former New Zealand U20s player who came through at the Hurricanes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Woodward joined Gloucester in 2017 from the relegated Bristol and the full-back went on to play nearly 70 times, even earning a call-up into the senior England squad under Eddie Jones and touring South Africa as an uncapped player in 2018.

It was May 31 when Gloucester stated that Woodward, Will Britton and Jack Stanley would all be departing Kingsholm and the New Zealander has now found sanctuary at Sale, the Manchester club that lost Simon Hammersley through retirement at the end of last season.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

A Sale statement read: “Sale Sharks have signed versatile full-back Jason Woodward on a one-year deal ahead of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season.

“The former Bristol Bears and Gloucester man, who can also play on the wing and in the centre, put pen to paper on Wednesday and will join Alex Sanderson’s squad ahead of their opening pre-season clash against Caldy RFC on August 19.

“Jason signed for Bristol from Super Rugby side the Hurricanes in 2016 before joining Gloucester the following year after Bristol’s relegation from the Premiership. He went on to make made 67 appearances and score 90 points for the Cherry and Whites. The 32-year-old represented New Zealand at U20s level but qualifies for England through his grandmother and was called up by Eddie Jones.”

Sale boss Alex Sanderson said: “After speaking with Jason it was clear he was still motivated to perform at the highest level and was keen for a move north to join the Sharks. Jason is a proven Premiership performer who will add a great deal of quality and experience to what is a young squad here. He has the ability to play in a number of positions and that is a massive bonus for us with such a busy schedule ahead.”

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 37 | Six Nations Round 4 Review

Cape Town | Leg 2 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series 2025 | Full Day Replay

Gloucester-Hartpury vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

Why did Scotland's Finn Russell take the crucial kick from the wrong place? | Whistle Watch

England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 41 minutes ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

MP are a NZ side through and through, NZ is even having to pay for it.

Yes they caved to public demand, I bet it accomplished a lot of internal goals. They could have left it to the other groups, but I’m of the belief that they weren’t showing the capability to make it work as being a good reason for NZR to jump in and do it. I think it’s actually funded 50/50 between NZR and WR though.

(when nothing was stopping a pi player playing for any side in Super Rugby)

Neither is that fact true. Only 3 non NZ players are allowed in each squad.


I see you also need to learn what the term poach means - take or acquire in an unfair or clandestine way. - Moana have more slots for non eligible players (and you have seen many return to an NZ franchise) so players are largely making their own choice without any outside coercion ala Julian Savea.

Not one of these Kiwis and Aussies would go live in the Islands to satisfy any criteria, and I’d say most of them have hardly ever set foot in the islands, outside of a holiday.

Another inaccurate statement. Take Mo’unga’s nephew Armstrong-Ravula, if he is not eligible via ancestry in a couple of generations time, he will be eligible because he plays his rugby there (even if he’s only their for rugby and not living there), that is a recent change made by World Rugby to better reflect examples like Fabian Holland and Fakatava.

It’s becoming the jump-ship/zero loyalty joke that international League is.

Look I understand you’re reason to cry and make an example at any opportunity, but you don’t really need to anymore, other recent changes made by WR are basically going to stop the Ireland situation, and time (perhaps no more than a decade) will fix the rest.

26 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Vermeulen to join Premiership rivals despite interest around the world Vermeulen to join Premiership rivals despite interest around the world
Search