Former England international Andy Titterrell has joined his former club Sale on loan from Leeds Carnegie.

The switch is part of an extension of the partnership between the Aviva Premiership club and their trans-Pennine Championship neighbours.

While Leeds skipper Titterrell is moiving to Edgeley Park, scrum half Will Cliff, 23, and centre Jordan Davies, 21, are moving to the Championship side.

Titterrell was a Premiership winner with the Sharks during his first spell at the club between 2000 and 2007 and is on oan until the end of January, when he will return to Leeds Carnegie ahead of the Championship play-offs.

Cliff and Davies will join up with Leeds with immediate effect for the remainder of the season and could be part of the squad for tonight’s final pool game in the British & Irish Cup at Pontypridd.

Leeds’ chief executive Gary Hetherington said of Titterrell’s move: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly as Andy is a huge part of our club and where we want to be in the future.

“However, we recognise the fact that we have an excellent relationship with Sale and the fact that Andy would have no interest in playing for any other Premiership club other than the Sharks, who he still has a close bond with.

“We already have Tommy Bell and Iain Thornley on loan from Sale for the entire season and both players have been outstanding for us, and the addition of Will Cliff and Jordan Davies will strengthen our squad in key positions for our promotion push in the New Year.”

Titterell said of his move: “I go to the Sharks safe in the knowledge that we have got good hookers at Carnegie in Scott Freer, Phil Nilsen and Harry Hannan.”