Multiple sporting stars have emerged from UoM, and it is no surprise with an Athletics Union as large and prominent as ours. Second-year student, Sammy Adu, is one of them.
Adu has had a very impressive start to his rugby season; starting not only for semi-professional Sale FC but also for Premiership team Sale Sharks. After training with Sale FC for the whole of last year, Adu had an unforgettable debut against Birmingham Moseley that resulted in a 32-13 win. Sale FC, who are an offshoot team for the premiership team, Sale Sharks, are currently fourth in the National League 1.
Adu described his debut as “the best day of my life!” It is easy to see why, as the number 11 scored an early try in the eighth minute and then a second in the fifty-seventh. In the following match against Leeds Tykes, Sammy cemented his position in the team by scoring twice again, making it four tries in his first two starts of the season for Sale FC. As well as playing for both of these teams, Sammy has also started his second year in the UoM Rugby first-team starting line-up. I asked him whether the University of Manchester team had contributed in any way to his professional debuts.
“Playing for UoM has definitely played a part in getting to play for Sale.” Sammy added that being a part of the university team and playing alongside people with different rugby backgrounds has allowed him to develop further as a player. Following his two starts for Sale FC, Adu then went on to have his debut Premiership game for Sale Sharks against Newcastle Falcons.
As most students can empathise, juggling a degree and a university sport is tiring enough, let alone a professional sports career alongside that! With his debut games being practically back-to-back, Adu admitted that he is just about managing his time between his demanding degree, and his rugby career.
With regard to the future, Adu is taking every day as it comes and making the most of the opportunities that are being presented to him. I imagine that I speak on behalf of the UoM student body when I say that we hope to hear more from Sammy Adu in the next coming years.
