Sacrifices worth it for new Shark Sara Cline

Sara Cline has sacrificed the sunny shores of Australian for the rain of Manchester in order to play her part in the inexorable rise of Canadian rugby.

The hooker is the latest addition at Sale Sharks, with the Edmonton-native making a memorable debut in Sharks’ 12-7 win away at Exeter Chiefs last weekend.

It is a long way from practicing her lineout throws against a pickleball wall back home in Canada, but she revealed the risk of going overseas is paying off massively.

“If you would have told me when I was 16 that I would be playing in a professional league or even for my country, I'd probably lose my mind, but now it seems so routine.” she explained.

“The progression in Canada and at grassroots rugby has really come a long way and there's lots of opportunities especially for girls to play good rugby all throughout Canada.

“There is outstanding buy in from all of the Canadian players. There's a lot in the PWR and then there's quite a few that train and treat it like a job at home.

“Wherever we are and whatever capacity we can be in, we've all bought into it just wanting to be the best.”

𝗗𝗲𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗪

Congratulations Sara Cline on your first Sale cap 👏🧢#NorthernRugbyMatters pic.twitter.com/8syD9yY42V

— Sale Sharks Women (@SaleSharksWomen) January 26, 2025

Cline joins a swathe of Canadian internationals plying their trade in PWR, including World Rugby Women’ 15s Dream Team players Alex Tessier and Sophie de Goede.

It is all part of the Maple Leafs’ preparation for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in England later this year, where there is a hope to go all the way.

“I think we want to win the whole thing,” added Cline. “The end goal is to be the best in the world as well as have fun.

“Entering the World Cup year, a lot of our team has had our eyes set preparing ourselves in the best way to be 100% ready for the World Cup in August.

“You get the chance to play against some of the best players in the world. For myself, I just knew that I wouldn't be getting the same level of training at home. It was the best decision for me to make the jump and try and get myself as prepared as I can.

“ I would say it's probably the closest that you can get to international rugby with still a lot of great developing players as well. 

“With the league being so established, I think it's like the best rugby you can get at this moment.”

Cline got a full taste of English conditions on her Sharks debut, with torrential wind and rain from Storm Eowyn causing a 30-minute delay during the match at Sandy Park.

But the hooker is determined to embrace the entire experience of Premiership Women’s Rugby, even if the weather is better in Australia.

She said: “All of the warm up, I'm just warming up, telling myself ‘I love my job. I love my job and I love my job.’

“Everyone was like, ‘It's not usually like this.’ But I thought ‘I don't believe you guys. I think the weather here is just quite bad!’

“But it was a really cool experience. I'm quite happy with the debut and with the win. It's been pretty fun, good spirits for sure.”

Get to know Sara Cline, the latest Sale Shark

Anyone got a spare @Spotify subscription? 😬#gettoknowme #womensrugby #hottake pic.twitter.com/djT6WSp7kq

— Sale Sharks Women (@SaleSharksWomen) January 19, 2025

Cline is hopeful both the weather and her own skills will improve during her time in Manchester, with plenty of things put to one side in order to make the move.

The Canadian is balancing a move to the UK with planning a wedding, but is confident that playing in the PWR is more than worth the sacrifices.

“There's not a lot of planning going on!” she admitted. “I'm very blessed, my fiancée Jordan has just been so supportive and amazing, holding the fort down at home and doing everything that he can for me to be able to play professionally.

“There is this term, especially with the Canadian women, of sacrifice because you do put a lot on hold for the team and to make the team better.

“Coming here was something that I prayed a lot about because I was unsure. It is a big sacrifice and it would be more comfortable to be at home.

“I just trust that this is all in God's plan for me regardless of whatever happens, it's living by his will, not my own.”