A first call for England U18 for the tour of South Africa in August this year continued Ciaran Parker’s international career that began with two appearances for England U17 against Georgia and France last season.

Stockport-born Ciaran was converted from playing at Number 8 to prop at the age of 15 by Ian Peel, a National Academy coach and says: “I was never going to be quick enough to keep playing in the back row and wouldn’t be with England now if I had stayed at Number 8.”

He most admires fellow props Cian Healy, Adam Jones and Mako Vunipola. He continues: “Healy and Vunipola epitomise what the modern-day prop is whereas Jones is the core value of what a prop is.”

Ciaran was recently promoted to the Sale Sharks Senior Academy and is training with the first-team squad. He was educated at St Winifred’s RC Primary School and is studying economics, history, English and philosophy at St Ambrose College in Hale Barns, Cheshire. His aims are to play at Test level for England and have a career in law after his rugby days are over.

His previous club was Manchester from 2008-13 and his representative honours span Lancashire U13-18, captaining the county U16 side in 2011-12 and playing for the North and England A in that age group.

At the age of 12, he switched from playing football to rugby and his mentors past and present are Mike Murphy, his first coach at school, Paul Rush, the first-team coach there and Alan Toon and Keith Richardson at Manchester RFC.