We do not see the Aviva Premiership or Pro12 rugby come to a halt while the Six Nations is going on, when huge clubs lose a decent portion of their strongest and most expensive players, so the Premier League can follow suit in 2022.

To celebrate LGBT History Month, MM talk to LGBT figures from across Greater Manchester about their experiences of coming out and what progress they think the city still has to make towards equality.

Sale Sharks fly-half Cipriani has not featured for England since the summer tests with New Zealand and faces a stern battle for the No.10 jersey with Owen Farrell, George Ford and Stephen Myler all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Manchester United and City have notably built up squads containing sportsmen from abroad, but rugby union team Sale Sharks also have a special one of their own in Russian Ostrikov.

Police are re-appealing for witnesses after new incriminating CCTV footage emerged of an LGBT rugby player suffering a broken jaw following a homophobic attack on Canal Street four weeks ago.

An LGBT rugby player was left with a broken jaw after a homophobic attack on Canal Street – and now CCTV footage has emerged in a bid to track down the culprit.

Sharks have never won the Anglo-Welsh competition despite making two finals and this year’s campaign gives them the chance to blood some youngsters as well as give recovering players valuable match time, including Braid who returns after injury on day one

Uefa president Michel Platini’s support for the sin-bin rule to be applied in football has brought about the question of whether the beautiful game is going through too many changes

The Prince is a big fan of Rugby Union and is visiting the rugby club in Salford as part of his role as Patron of England Rugby’s All Schools Programme

More than 7,000 youngsters will participate over the course of the season in search of a spot in the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup ‘Parade of Champions’ during half-time of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final.

Former England international Mark Cueto has stressed the important role senior players have in guiding the development of younger members of the team, and is hopeful of contributing towards a successful season for Sale in what is likely to be his last