Schofield has been playing for Sharks for eight years

New Sale captain Dean Schofield hopes to be an example to aspiring young rugby union players in the area.

The 30-year-old follows Argentine Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe as the Sharks skipper after coming through the ranks.

He told BBC Radio Manchester: "Personally, I think it's good for young kids in the area just to say 'You can do it.'

"I went to just a normal school, never got a scholarship or anything like that. I've come through the hard way."

He added: "So it's good for kids just to see a local lad captaining Sale and thinking 'I can do that' so they'll get down to their local club and crack on with it.

"I don't think it'll ever change me as a player or as a person. [Head coach] Kingsley [Jones] asked me at the end of last season and it's a massive honour.

"I've been here for nine years, I'm a local lad. I was a supporter of Sale before I played here so to be given the honour of being the captain - I'm thoroughly made up by it."

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