Fourth Gloucester Hartpury stalwart signs for Sale Sharks

A fourth player has traded Gloucester Hartpury for Sale Sharks ahead of the 2026/27 JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby season.

Wales hooker Kelsey Jones has spent eight seasons with the three-time English top flight champions. Across those eight years, the 28-year-old made 69 appearances and scored 25 tries for the Kingsholm Stadium club.

She joins Sarah Beckett, Tatyana Heard and Zoe Stratford to Morson Stadium from the West Country this summer. This season, Jones started all five of Wales’ matches at the Guinness Women’s Six Nations and scored three tries.

The quartet add to a squad which already boasted increased quality last season. England Red Roses pair Holly Aitchison and Amy Cokayne joined the club last offseason, alongside internationals from Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Jones said: “I’ve loved coming up to play against Sale Sharks with Gloucester. You can tell the team has so much grit and heart and they really fight for each other, and I wanted to be a part of that.

“This group has put in so much hard work every year to grow and build to where they are now. I hope I can add to that and help take the club to the next level.

“The four of us joining from Gloucester have a lot of belief and experience winning big games. Hopefully we can add a bit of that here to get over the line in those tight games against the best teams.

“I can’t wait to train and compete with Amy Cokayne because I really think she’s the best hooker in the world. I can learn so much from her and that challenge is only going to make me and the team better.”

Since she made her Wales debut in 2017, Jones has won 57 caps for her country, scored seven tries and represented her country at three Women’s Rugby World Cups.

Jones was at the heart of Gloucester Hartpury’s three PWR titles in as many years as one of the club’s longest serving players. The 28-year-old scored the opening try of her team’s 2023 victory, missed the 2024 with injury and was also injured for the entire 2024/25 season.

This season Jones made 13 league appearances and scored seven tries as the club topped the table before being beaten by Trailfinders Women in a home semi-final. Last season Sale finished seventh in the PWR table and were eight points adrift of the play-off places.

Tom Hudson, Sale Sharks head coach, said: “I’m really pleased to be adding Kelsey to our squad. She is a consistently top level performer at both PWR and international level and has the ambition and drive to get even better. That’s an ambition we’re excited to help her achieve.”