Some partnerships just seem to fit, and C&C’s long-standing relationship with Sale Sharks and England star Tom Curry is certainly one of them. So, there were plenty of smiles at C&C following the news that Tom has signed a new contract with Sale Sharks, keeping him at the club until at least 2028. It continues a remarkable association between player, club and sponsor which stretches back to the very start of Tom’s senior career.
C&C has been a commercial partner of Sale Sharks since 2011, making it the club’s longest-standing current sponsor, whilst also sponsoring Tom since he broke into the Sharks first team in 2016. Quite a lot has happened since then.
Tom made his professional debut in the Champions Cup in October 2016, becoming the youngest Sale player to appear in the competition at the time. Just two weeks later, he scored on his Premiership debut, before he and twin brother Ben were jointly named Young Player of the Season. Ten years on, Tom has made more than 125 appearances for Sharks, collected 71 England caps and represented the British & Irish Lions six times across two tours. Throughout that journey, C&C has been immensely proud to remain his player sponsor.
The new deal is particularly fitting given Tom’s own lifelong connection with the club. A Sharks supporter as a youngster, he remembers watching the team at Edgeley Park and has spoken of his pride at now representing the club he grew up supporting. Announcing his new contract, Tom said: “Sale Sharks means everything to me, and this is the club I have supported my whole life.”
He added that there was “no place I would rather be” as the Sharks look to build on the progress made over recent seasons.
For us at C&C, it’s another chapter in a relationship with Sale Sharks which has itself continued to grow. What began as an advertising agreement back in 2011 has developed into a genuine long-term partnership, with C&C now firmly woven into life at the club, including the C&C Club House Suite, C&C Shark Tank Suite and C&C Players’ Lounge.
And while rugby careers inevitably move quickly, there’s something particularly satisfying about seeing a player C&C first backed as a teenager still pulling on the Sharks shirt more than a decade later. Only now with a rather impressive collection of England and Lions appearances to his name!
C&C Managing Director, Malcolm Cooke, says:
“We’ve been incredibly proud to sponsor Tom right from the early days of his Sharks career, so it’s fantastic to see him commit his future to the club. We’ve watched him develop from an exciting young prospect into one of the very best players in the world, but what’s always impressed us just as much is the way he represents himself and the club off the pitch. Our relationship with Sale Sharks means a huge amount to everyone at C&C, and Tom has been a big part of that journey for the past ten years. We’re delighted he’s staying, and we’re looking forward to cheering him on in a Sharks shirt for a good while yet!”
From everyone at C&C, congratulations on the new deal, Tom. Here’s to plenty more memorable afternoons in a Sharks shirt between now and 2028… and hopefully, beyond!
