Carpenter looking to make his mark

SALE'S Joe Carpenter is aiming for a cap with Steve Borthwick's Rose touring Red side but admits his heart is still in the land of the white rose.

- ADAM HATHAWAY

The Yorkshireman, a product of West Park Leeds RUFC, Stuart Lancaster's old club, and the Leeds Carnegie academy is flying the flag for Tykes on England's trip to Japan and New Zealand.

The 22-year-old thought his career was in bits when the Leeds academy was disbanded in 2020 bringing to a halt to the production line that churned out the likes of Danny Care, Luther Burrell and Tom Palmer.

But Carpenter admits he was one of the lucky ones after being snapped up by Sale and catapulted into the England set-up on the back of his form this season.

And he insists Sale's up-and-coming youngsters, including fellow tourist Tom Roebuck, have shown just what a good academy can produce. The fullback said: "It's quite sad for me. I grew up there and came through the academy was and my transition into the first team kyboshed by the fact that they went under.