TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks Women v Saracens

Japanese fly-half Minori Yamamoto will make her first Sharks start while Ireland international Jo Brown returns as Rachel Taylor makes six changes to her side to face Saracens at Heywood Road on Saturday (KO 2pm).  

US international prop Nick James is also back in the starting XV after missing the pre-Christmas defeat against Trailfinders while Jasmine Hazell replaces injured Red Rose Morwenna Talling. 

In the Sharks front-row, loosehead Anne Young lines up alongside James and hooker Niamh Swailes. 

Italian international Sara Tounesi and Iona Antwis team up again in the second-row with Brown, captain Georgie Perris-Redding and Hazell (number 8) in the back-row. 

Jess Taylor-Roberts will partner former Worcester fly-half Yamamoto in the half-backs and outside them, Italian Beatrice Rigoni lines up once again with Eti Haungatau in the centres. 

Nikita Prothero and vice-captain Lauren Delany start on the wings with Vicky A Irwin lining up at full-back. 

Amber Schonert is named as the replacement hooker while Catie Benson and Detysha Harper will cover the props. 

Polly Bowman and Molly Morrissey are the other forwards replacements, while Mhairi Grieve, Hollie Bawden and Laura Perrin will cover the backs. 

15. Vicky A Irwin, 14. Lauren Delany, 13. Eti Haungatau, 12. Beatrice Rigoni, 11. Nikita Prothero, 10. Minori Yamamoto, 9. Jess Taylor-Roberts, 1. Anne Young, 2. Niamh Swailes, 3. Nick James, 4. Sara Tounesi, 5. Iona Antwis, 6. Jo Brown, 7. Georgie Perris-Redding (C) 8. Jasmine Hazell. 

16. Amber Schonert, 17. Catie Benson, 18. Detysha Harper, 19. Molly Morrissey, 20. Polly Bowman, 21. Jess Taylor-Roberts, 22. Minori Yamamoto, 23. Laura Perrin. 

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