Premiership rugby side Sale Sharks are helping launch a new scheme that uses rugby-themed activities to teach money management to 11 and 12 year olds.

The scheme has been launched at Sale Sharks’ home stadium in Salford, where some of the stars of English rugby, including former England internationals Mark Cueto and Hendre Fourie and Sale Sharks’ Michael Paterson will take 50 local school children through the programme The ‘Number Cruncherz’.

It is aimed at Year 7 children with the help of MBNA and the education charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) to help develop key financial literacy skills.

Each school taking part in Number Cruncherz will get to spend a full day at Sale Sharks’ home stadium to complete the programme.

Children will learn about income and expenditure; balancing needs and wants; budgeting; and how to make sensible financial decisions.

From September, financial education will form part of the compulsory national curriculum in England for 11-16 year olds.