TEAM NEWS | SHARKS v GLASGOW WARRIORS
Tomas Francis makes his first start in a Sharks shirt while Ben Curry is named in a starting XV for the first time this season as Alex Sanderson makes five changes to his side for the opening fixture in this season’s Investec Champions Cup against Glasgow Warriors (KO 1pm, Saturday 17th October).
Fresh from signing a new long-term deal to stay at the club, England winger Tom Roebuck also starts after recovering from a calf strain while Rekeiti Ma’asi-White is back in the XV after missing the last two games with a knee injury picked up on the opening day of the Gallagher PREM season.
The final change sees Luke Cowan-Dickie return to the side in place of Nathan Jibulu, who drops to the bench. Your Sharks will be wearing the new away kit for this one, due to a clash with the home kit and both of Glasgow’s kits.
The Sharks Director of Rugby has picked a front row with more than 200 international caps to face URC giants with Nicky Smith linking up with fellow Welsh international Francis and England hooker Cowan-Dickie.
There’s a familiar sight in the second row as skipper Ernst van Rhyn teams up with Ben Bamber, who scored his second try of the season last time out against Harlequins.
Alex has picked Courtney Lawes, Ben Curry and Elia Canakaivata, who opened his Sharks account in the Quins win, in an abrasive back row.
Scottish international Gus Warr and George Ford are the half-backs once again and they’ll have Ma’asi-White and Joe Marchant outside them in the centres.
In the back three, Roebuck returns after missing three games with a calf strain to join Arron Reed and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Alex has plenty of power and energy to call upon from the bench with Nathan Jibulu, Si McIntyre and Asher Opoku-Fordjour the front row replacements.
Christ Tshiunza and Tom Curry are the other forwards on the bench with scrum-half Dom Hanson, Alex Lozowski and winger Ponipate Loganimasi making up the rest of the replacements.
Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter
14. Tom Roebuck
13. Joe Marchant
12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White
11. Arron Reed
10. George Ford
9. Gus Warr;
1. Nicky Smith
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie
3. Tomas Francis
4. Ernst van Rhyn (c)
5. Ben Bamber
6. Courtney Lawes
7. Ben Curry
8. Elia Canakaivata.
Replacements:
16. Nathan Jibulu
17. Si McIntyre
18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour
19. Christ Tshiunza
20. Tom Curry
21. Dom Hanson
22. Alex Lozowski
23. Ponipate Loganimasi
Unavailable for selection:
Luke James (hamstring)
Xavier Roe (flown home)
Jacques Vermeulen (suspension)
Bevan Rodd (wrist)
Tom O’Flaherty (rested)
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