Sale appoint ex-Italy lock Bortolami as head coach

Sale Sharks person appointed Marco Bortolami arsenic caput coach to activity alongside head of rugby Alex Sanderson.

The ex-Italy guardant replaces Paul Deacon, who near nan nine connected Wednesday aft holding nan domiciled since 2020.

Bortolami, 45, has been caput coach of United Rugby Championship (URC) nine Benetton for nan past 4 years.

His Benetton statement ran until June 2026, but successful February nan Italian nine announced it would beryllium terminated early and he would time off astatine nan extremity of nan season.

The erstwhile skipper won 111 caps during a playing profession which included 4 years successful nan Premiership pinch Gloucester.

"I'm really excited and honoured to beryllium portion of this family," Bortolami told nan club's website.

"The nine has been building for nan past fewer years and to person nan chance now to travel and lend is unbelievable."

Sale vanished 3rd successful nan Premiership, losing astatine Leicester Tigers successful their play-off semi-final connected Saturday.

It was nan 4th clip successful nan past 5 seasons nan Sharks person vanished successful nan apical four, but they person not been champions since 2006.

Now Bortolami will bring his acquisition to nan coaching team, having worked astatine Benetton since he retired from playing successful 2016, firstly arsenic an adjunct earlier taking nan apical job.

For Sanderson, having personification of Bortolami's stature tin thief nan club's push to return that adjacent step.

"This is simply a immense coup for nan nine because Marco is an international-level coach," he said.

"But that's nan level that our coaching needs to beryllium astatine because that's nan benignant of squad we've sewage here."