TEAM NEWS | Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks

Double Curry is on the menu at Ashton Gate on Friday night as Tom returns from a hamstring injury to join brother Ben in the Sharks line-up to face Bristol Bears. Si McIntyre is also recalled as Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson makes two changes to his side for the crucial round 22 clash (LIVE on BT Sport – KO 7.45pm).

Alex has picked an unchanged back line with the only changes coming in the pack, as Tom Curry wears the number 6 shirt, replacing Jono Ross who slots in at number 8 in place of the injured Dan du Preez.

McIntyre for Bevan Rodd is the only front row change with the Mancunian prop lining up alongside Akker van der Merwe and Nick Schonert.

Jean-Luc du Preez and Jonny Hill team up once again in the second-row, with Tom Curry, captain Ben Curry and Ross in the back-row.

Scrum-half Gus Warr starts again alongside George Ford at half-back, with Manu Tuilagi and Rob du Preez outside them in the centres.

And in an unchanged back three, Tom Roebuck will line up alongside fellow speedsters Tom O’Flaherty and Joe Carpenter.

Ewan Ashman, Bevan Rodd and Coenie Oosthuizen make up the front-row replacements, with Josh Beaumont and Sam Dugdale covering the rest of the forwards.

Homegrown trio Raffi Quirke, Sam James and Arron Reed are the rest of the replacements.

Sale Sharks starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Akker van der Merwe, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Jean-Luc du Preez, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jono Ross.

Replacements:

16. Ewan Ashman, 17. Bevan Rodd, 18. Coenie Oosthuizen, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Sam James, 23. Arron Reed.

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