Club development officer Paul Bailey admitted he had to pinch himself in amazement after Heaton Moor walked away with a top prize at the inaugural National Rugby Awards at Twickenham.

Stuart Lancaster’s decision to omit Sale Sharks fly-half Danny Cipriani from England’s 2015 Rugby World Cup squad could be a defining moment in his coaching career.

Danny Cipriani may have issued a timely reminder of his craft and versatility but World Cup winner Matt Dawson believes the Sale Sharks star’s England hopes may be dashed by the rise of Henry Slade.

England World Cup winner Neil Back is convinced the uncertainty surrounding boss Stuart Lancaster’s starting XV will come back to haunt him this autumn.

The debate rages on as to whether Sam Burgess can play international rugby union at centre, but whatever happens in this weekend’s acid test against France at Twickenham, former England captain Martin Johnson insists the experiment will be well worth it.

Danny Cipriani can be the game-breaker at fly-half for England this World Cup according to former Sale Sharks team-mate and ex-Red Rose winger Mark Cueto.

Chris Robshaw will lead Stuart Lancaster’s England out at Twickenham on Friday September 18 to start arguably the biggest tournament of his career after getting to grips with the great and the good of the sport’s grassroots heroes at the first ever National Rugby Awards.

The George Ford or Owen Farrell discussion is likely to dominate English rugby for many years to come but England’s current incumbent of the fly-half jersey downplayed the importance of their latest head-to-head battle in the Aviva Premiership final.

George North insists new teammate Michael Paterson, who after two seasons with the Sharks heads south to join up with 2014 champions and last year’s table-toppers Northampton Saints, will have no problem slotting in.

Pupils at St. John’s R.C. Primary School in Chorlton, with the help of Sale Sharks’ community department employee and ex-England rugby player Hendre Fourie, were some of the first to experience Premiership Rugby’s On the Front Foot programme before it is fully rolled out in September.

During Aviva Premiership Rugby’s final half-time Guy Larkin’s youngsters got their moment in the spotlight in front of the sell-out 80,000 crowd as they took part in the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup Parade of Champions.