Sophie Hopkins back with a bang at "resurgent" Sale Sharks

Sophie Hopkins can still recall the message from owner Michelle Orange when Sale Sharks sat at their lowest ebb two seasons ago: “We will be back.”

It was a promise Hopkins took more literally than most as she jetted off to Lyon for a season, before returning with a bang this summer in the JAECOO Next Gen Cup.

The repatriated winger has hit the ground running with three tries in Sharks’ opening three cup fixtures, putting them on a strong footing to make the semi-finals.

And it is form that tallies with a continued resurgence in the north west that saw Sale Sharks improve on a bottom-place finish in 2024/25 to challenge for the JAECOO PWR semi-final places last term.

“I can give a good judgement as somebody who left the environment two years ago to go play in France and then has come back after this big resurgence,” said Hopkins.

“The environment has completely changed. It's so much more professional. It's so much more ambitious, and the standards are just so much higher in terms of competition, in terms of skill level, in terms of everything, really.

“I was blown away when I was in Lyon watching Sale. I was so happy for them, because I feel like we really went through it the year before. That season was quite tough.

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“I remember we had a meeting with Michelle Orange in that season and she said - I'm paraphrasing here - that Sale Sharks is not done. If you're not here to win medals and be the best team that we can be, then get out. This team is going to be good. Just wait and see.

“To watch this rebirth of Sale Sharks has just been amazing. It's a privilege to get to be a part of it again, because it's not guaranteed.”

At just 19, Hopkins was already making an impact for Sharks, earning her involvement with the England U-20s squad and opportunities to train with the World Cup-winning Red Roses.

It made the decision to move to France as part of her Biochemistry and French degree at the University of Manchester all the more daunting with things moving so swimmingly in her rugby career in England.

“It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made,” she said.

“It was a scary thought to move my whole life to a completely different place, in a new language and in such an unfamiliar situation. I was slightly worried that me going away to France would put the brakes on that progression [with England].

“It's a cliché, but the French style of rugby is very unstructured, creative and free-flowing. I really enjoyed that.

“That is something that I've added to my game: how to capitalise on moments when we have momentum and just play rugby, and not be bogged down in shape or structure, and just play on top and exploit those spaces when you see them.

“It was a challenge at the beginning to abandon what I knew as structured rugby and just play, but it's made me more reactive on a rugby pitch.”

And that initial risk has paid off. Not only has she helped Sharks to wins over Loughborough Lightning and Exeter Chiefs in the Cup, but she was also invited back to train with the Red Roses this summer.

Hopkins, then, is now taking lessons from seasoned internationals with both club and country, and it has brought the target of the Red Roses’ white jersey further into focus for the 21-year-old.

“There's so much to learn. I'm just a sponge when I go into [the Red Roses] environment. Anything that I can take away with me is just an added bonus,” she said.

“The best wingers in the world are there, so I want to know everything that they do and everything that I can steal. It's such an instructive environment.

“When I was in the World Cup training squad, it was such a privilege to meet Abby Dow. I really looked up to her before I went into the camp, and her never-say-die attitude is something that I really want to emulate.

“Coming in this time, it's been a bit of a different experience because there's definitely been people more of my own age group that I'm looking up to, like Millie David and Bo [Westcombe-Evans] and Mia [Venner]. They're all more my generation.

“It makes it more accessible for me and turns it into something that I could visualise myself doing. It's just nice to have a little cohort of us young people that have come in, and we all want to see each other thrive.”

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And having tasted success after winning the Step 2 In Extenso Supersevens tournament during her European spell with Lyon OU, Hopkins returns to a renewed environment with fresh aims ahead in the JAECOO PWR.

“It’s so exciting,” added Hopkins. “I mean, the investment is something that we all dream of, right?

“Compared with Lyon, they had some talented players and the team has a lot of potential but, and this is the tale for a lot of French teams, sometimes it’s just lacking that backing.

“As we've gained more and more Red Roses, there's just so much to learn from all of them and how they approach rugby and their skill set. It just elevates the whole environment, makes it more professional, and makes the standards better.”

And with a final pool game against Leicester Tigers still to come for Sharks, with a place in the semi-finals on the line, they will be looking to some even newer faces for added support in the shape of new signing Zoe and scrum coach Luke Stratford’s daughter, who took in her first Sale game days after being born.

“Beaudie is so cute, she’s literally adorable. Zoe [Stratford] is just incredible. She was literally in Sale until the day before she gave birth, something like that,” said Hopkins.

“Strats, our coach, was in the day after pretty much. They are so committed to this environment and to Sale Sharks in general. I was blown away by how much they wanted to be involved in Sharks when they've got a little baby to look after as well.

“She’s just the cutest thing in the world. I hope they bring her to more games because she is so cute.”