Sale Sharks lock Josh Beaumont has linked up with National Two North outfit Fylde, where he will be volunteering his services for the commercial side of the club.

Fylde have had to make staff redundant and have placed coaches on furlough due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but they are gathering a large number of volunteers, including Beaumont, to help them through these unprecedented times.

Fylde chairman and NCA executive committee member Mike Brennand told The Rugby Paper this week: “He’s [Beaumont] is in the process of completing his MBA in Sports Leadership and he rang me and volunteered some time to assist at the club and I took him up on that.

“He is going to work on a commercial plan for the club and how we engage with sponsors. I’ve done six years before as chairman (2006-2012) and without the help of volunteers, no club could survive.

“I have spoken to a lot of our volunteers and their recurring theme is their appreciation for what the game has given to them and their children. To work with like-minded people who are doing it for the same reasons is great fun.”

The Lancashire club holds great memories for the Beaumont family, with Josh beginning his rugby journey at Woodlands when he was just six-years-old.

His brother, Sam, captained the side and played over 250 times for Fylde whilst his father, Sir Bill, is hugely passionate about his community club and the grass roots game.

Brennand revealed he politely declined an offer from Beaumont Snr to help with the club’s efforts whilst Josh is looking forward to his new role at his boyhood team.

Beaumont told ncarugby.com: “I think my Dad will stick to being vociferous on the sideline! He is so passionate about Fylde.

“I have great memories from my time playing for Fylde whether that be with the minis or working my way up to the first team and playing with your mates. People are missing the game at the moment.

“Mike said that they have got over 100 volunteers so he has done well so far in rallying the support! Every member and every person in the community sees the importance the club can play in the local area whether that is Fylde or elsewhere and also, the clubs are important for the sport itself.

“If you look at the England team now, we all started off somewhere. When the club was shut down earlier in the year when the whole of rugby was shut down, it was devastating not seeing the Woodlands full on a Saturday or a Sunday. I know the minis are back now, but we have got to get some rugby back soon.”

Beaumont has just completed his MBA at the University of Salford and alongside his duties for Sale, the 28-year-old wants to put his qualification into practice by volunteering his services to Fylde.

He added: “I have just finished my MBA, handed in my dissertation and I am waiting for my final mark back but whilst that is all well and good, I hadn’t really had any practical experience in the sporting business world”.

“I thought it would be a good idea to offer my services to Fylde. I didn’t know what capacity that would be in but I think Mike caught wind of it off my parents and gave me a call. He said it was looking like he was going to be chairman again so he offered me the chance to get involved and volunteer and work in the commercial side.

“He said it would be a good way to add that practically to my studies and I feel like it is a perfect opportunity to do that.”

Beaumont continued: “I have got to fully understand the picture of firstly, what the role entails. Yes, I am at the professional level of the game with Sale, but it is so much different to being at a community level.

“We anticipate losses across all levels of the game especially at the elite level, but we are lucky that we have the backing of some great owners at Sale who can afford to keep us going right now in such tough times. Community rugby clubs don’t necessarily have that so for me, I think it is about getting a broader understanding of the state of the game in regards to Fylde and the local community clubs.

“It is about looking at the funding structures and working out a plan from there. I will be engaging with the commercial side of the business so getting a broader understanding of the current sponsors and what the club can offer will be important going forward.”