Summer signing Ernst van Rhyn makes his Sharks debut, Sam Bedlow starts for the first time since re-joining the club and Telusa Veainu lines up at full-back against the club where he made his name, as your Sharks prepare to face Leicester in the Premiership Rugby Cup (KO 7.45pm, Friday, September 15).
Alex Sanderson has picked a blend of youth and experience to take on Dan McKellar’s Tigers, with props Si McIntyre and James Harper, centre Sam James and winger Tom Roebuck also returning.
After scoring a brace of tries each against Bedford Blues in round one, academy prospects Ethan Caine and Nye Thomas also keep their places.
Props McIntyre and Harper line up either side of hooker Caine in a powerful front-row for the Salford Stadium clash.
Ben Bamber and Alex Groves pair up again in an unchanged second-row and they’ll pack down in front of a back-row of former Stormer van Rhyn, Tristan Woodman and Rouban Birch.
In the backs, Thomas and captain Tom Curtis start again at half-back, with former Bristol man Bedlow joining James in the centres.
Trialist Obi Ene, who scored against Bedford, and Roebuck are picked to start on the wings, with former Tiger Veainu in the number 15 shirt.
The replacements bench is once again a mix of youth and experience, with Josh Beaumont and Tom O’Flaherty joining academy stars Harry Thompson, Tumy Onasanya, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Will Wootton, Ewan Murphy and Joe Bedlow, who has been recalled from his loan at Doncaster.
Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Telusa Veainu, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Sam James, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Obi Ene, 10. Tom Curtis ©, 9. Nye Thomas; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Ethan Caine, 3. James Harper, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Alex Groves, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Tristan Woodman, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Harry Thompson, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Ewan Murphy, 21. Will Wootton, 22. Joe Bedlow, 23. Tom O’Flaherty.
