Sale Sharks are delighted to announce that Paul Deacon will be joining the club as Attack/Skills Coach with immediate effect.
Deacon has been a member of the Wigan Coaching Staff for four years after retiring from playing in 2011.
A former Great Britain and England International, Deacon spent the majority of his playing career at Bradford Bulls making 324 appearances for the Club before joining the Wigan Warriors and winning the 2010 Grand Final and 2011 Challenge Cup.
Deacon has also been Assistant to Steve McNamara with the England Team since 2013.
Speaking about his appointment at Sale Sharks Paul Deacon said, “I would like to thank everyone at Wigan who has helped me a player and as a coach throughout my time at the Club. It really was a dream come true to play and then coach my hometown club and I have enjoyed every minute. I want so say a special thank you to Shaun Wane who has helped me immensely with transition from player to coach and for the way he has dealt with this news. Joining Sale Sharks is an opportunity that I felt I couldn’t turn down and I am looking forward to learning a new game and the challenges that will bring.”
Director of Rugby Steve Diamond said, “ Since Bryan Redpath left the club we have interviewed potential replacements from all over the world but Paul was the stand out candidate. He has played at the top level in Rugby League and will bring with him everything we have been looking for in attack, skills, place kicking and kicking from hand. Paul played alongside Mike Forshaw at Bulls and won every honour in the game. Paul will start with us immediately and the whole squad are looking forward to working with him.”
