I Want To Inspire Like Finn Russell - Aitchison

PWR: Sale Sharks v Trailfinders

Venue: Morson Stadium, Sale Date: Saturday, 8 November Kick-off: 15:00 GMT

Coverage: Live connected BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

Arriving astatine Sale Sharks arsenic portion of a high-profile revamp, Holly Aitchison has made 1 large move this summer.

She is adamant she won't beryllium making a second.

"[England caput coach] John Mitchell has made it beautiful clear to maine that I tin screen different positions, but I americium a 10," she told BBC Sport.

"And I won't beryllium seen arsenic thing else."

A twelvemonth ago, nan mobility wouldn't person been asked.

At WXV successful Canada, Aitchison was nan Red Roses' starting fly-half, steering them to title-clinching victories complete New Zealand and Canada.

Her playmaking and moving abilities were a cardinal portion of diversifying England's threat, ensuring that, travel nan Rugby World Cup successful England, they would person much cutting edges than a bandsaw.

It didn't move retired for illustration that.

Zoe Harrison edged successful beforehand arsenic first-choice 10, pinch Aitchison shifted into nan centres aliases connected to nan bench.

An ankle wounded successful nan run-up to nan Rugby World Cup meant Aitchison struggled to situation for her spot, only appearing successful nan knock-out stages and past being deployed arsenic a midfield replacement successful nan semi-final and last victories complete France and Canada respectively.

But nan 28-year-old is resolute successful sticking to her position and her philosophy.

"I want to dictate," she said.

"Obviously I sewage that ankle wounded earlier nan World Cup, but we were decidedly moving successful nan much expansive direction.

"That's thing that I champion, that's what I bring arsenic a 10.

"I want to animate nan backline, I want to play this marque of rugby that attracts viewers.

"In nan men's game, I deliberation of players for illustration Finn Russell - you bargain a summons to watch him.

"I want that benignant of hype astir players successful nan women's crippled wherever we're creating that style of marque that group want to watch."

At Sale, she hopes she has recovered nan shape to do that.

The squad vanished past successful PWR past season, but they person invested and improved.

Aitchison's England team-mate Amy Cokayne and Scotland helping Rhona Lloyd were besides signed complete nan summertime while England's Morweena Talling and nan United States' all-action fastener Erica Jarrell-Searcy are portion of an breathtaking backmost 5 successful nan pack.

Sale co-owner Michelle Orange had earmarked this season, aft nan Rugby World Cup, arsenic a chance to lure immoderate of England's players backmost to nan northbound and fortify a struggling team.

Aitchison, calved and raised connected Merseyside, was a apical target.

"Holly was connected my hit-list, not conscionable arsenic a poster woman for nan Red Roses, but for nan North West and women's rugby successful general," Orange tells BBC Sport.

"She is simply a cleanable fresh coming in. We are truthful fortunate to person Katy Daley-Mclean - 1 of England's champion ever fly-halves - heading up our women's programme and Holly follows successful her mould.

"I emotion Holly's style, her sass, nan measurement she puts herself retired connected societal media and identifies pinch her fanbase, this is precisely who we want successful our squad to bring immoderate other X-factor and complement nan girls we person already got."

Showing teenage prospects successful nan northbound westbound of England location is simply a way to nan apical that doesn't impact nan large roadworthy southbound was 1 of Aitchison's motivations.

Another is to style Sale's guidance connected nan pitch.

"Coming to nan extremity of nan play astatine Bristol, I really needed a alteration because I didn't place pinch nan system," said Aitchison.

"I americium fresh to play a marque that I tin person a spot of an power connected now.

"[Head coach] Tom Hudson, who I americium really inspired by, is driving a spot of a collaborative programme."

So far, it is yielding results.

Sale, who won only 1 of their 16 matches successful nan convention past season, hit Leicester 46-17 successful beforehand of a sell-out location crowd connected nan opening play of PWR, earlier taking a losing prize constituent distant astatine Loughborough Lightning, a crippled they mislaid 36-17 past term.

They play Trailfinders Women connected Saturday and, pinch nan remainder of nan round's matches taking spot connected Sunday, could spell apical pinch a win.

"We still person a agelong measurement to spell to drawback up pinch nan established teams, but we are making strides," said Orange.

"If we could decorativeness apical six this season, I would beryllium much than delighted. I deliberation apical 4 this play is simply a small ambitious, but I deliberation adjacent play we could decidedly beryllium challenging for apical four."