Newcastle Falcons – Dean Richards – Number 8
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Richards was a police constable for Leicestershire Constabulary between the 1980s and 1990s before English rugby union became professional. He played for Roanne in France for a year before returning to England to play for Leicester Tigers, where he won two league titles and one cup.
He made his senior England debut in 1986 against Ireland at Twickenham in the Five Nations Championship, scoring two tries in a 25–20 points win. He became an integral part of the England pack in the early 1990s, and was one of the top number eights in the world, winning 48 England caps and six caps for the British Lions on their 1989 and 1993 tours. He also played in the 1987, 1991 and 1995 Rugby World Cups.
Northampton Saints – Jim Mallinder – full-back
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In his playing days, Mallinder was a fullback at Sale Sharks, where he stayed for 15 years as a player and a coach. He was formerly a P.E and Mathematics teacher at William Hulme’s Grammar School in Manchester before the game turned professional.
When he retired from playing in 2001, after nearly 400 games for Sale and two England caps, he was appointed as the Sharks’ head coach.
Sale Sharks – Steve Diamond – prop
Diamond played for his local club Trafford MV before joining Sale Sharks as a player in 1989. He played over 350 top class games for Sale.
He was also called up to the senior England squad as cover for the 1997 England rugby union tour of Argentina and Australia, however, he was ultimately not capped at that level.