Pupils from Cheetham Hill’s Temple Primary School joined England Sevens stars Sam Stanley, Sam Blanchet and Jack Walsh at the Lensbury Club in Teddington as Heathrow Express and the UK Space Agency joined forces to put them through their paces with an education programme called ‘Mission X- Train like an astronaut’.

Former Sale Sharks player and England international Jason Robinson, whose brother was a heroin addict for 15 years, is helping Manchester’s street kids hopefully choose the path he went down despite a harsh upbringing.

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond was frustrated after the game with the result leaving his side eight points adrift of the top six with just two games to play and needing some fortune to qualify for European action next season.

Sale, who welcome their London opponents at 2pm this afternoon, lie seventh in the Aviva Premiership though after a weak display against London Irish two weeks ago they are five points behind sixth-placed Wasps.

With the start of next year’s domestic season delayed because of England hosting the Rugby World Cup, Sale Sharks will face off against fellow Aviva Premiership teams Leicester Tigers and Newcastle Falcons in a Kings of the North tournament prior to the World Cup.

Sale Sharks were in command against London Irish before half-time when Danny Cipriani’s pass was fumbled allowing Andrew Fenby to score and give the home side the advantage at the interval.

Sale sit in seventh place with a European spot firmly in their sights, but with just eight points separating them from fourth a challenge for the play-offs still remains a possibility.

Former Wigan Warriors star Sam Tomkins is set for a return to Super League after New Zealand Warriors agreed to release him from his contract.

A nationwide initiative launched on Tuesday, the Aviva Community Fund offers support and funding of up £25,000 to causes and projects that are put forward by the public, something close to Sale Sharks forward Nathan Hines’ heart.

In the inflatable dome outside Sale Sharks’ AJ Bell Stadium, year-seven Stanley High School pupil Owen Barnes caught more paper tickets in 30 seconds than anyone else to win two tickets to the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final on May 30.

Johnny Leota and Josh Beaumont scored the tries for Sale while Danny Cipriani showed his quality scoring 13 points with the boot in tricky conditions as Sale prevailed 23-6 over Gloucester.