2025-26: Seventh

Key signing: Joe Marchant, centre

Adam Lanigan, BBC Sport England

Last season was a rude awakening for Sale Sharks as their run of three straight top-four finishes was emphatically ended.

The fact that they were out of play-off contention by the January break for the Six Nations was even more damning, eventually finishing 27 points behind fourth spot, leading to the question of whether the Sharks and their physical style of play had been rumbled.

To back up some of their local talent, director of rugby Alex Sanderson has recruited a wealth of experience led by ex-Northampton and England second-rower Courtney Lawes, while there are a trio of Wales recruits in the forwards with Tomas Francis, Nicky Smith and Christ Tshuinza on board.

But the most interesting signing is that of Joe Marchant. The centre returns to the Prem after three years at Stade Francais and he has his heart set on making the England squad for next year’s World Cup.

To do that, he has to play well at club level where he will fill the gap left by the influential Rob du Preez.

This feels like a pivotal season for Sanderson, who maintains the support of the club’s hierarchy, to show that last season was just a blip.

The north west club will expect to compete near the top again, but the first task will be to restore order at CorpAcq Stadium after a losing record there last season.

You can hear coverage of Sale Sharks in Total Sport on BBC Radio Manchester