Joe Carpenter and Bevan Rodd return to the Sharks XV while Raffi Quirke is back in a matchday squad for the first time since January’s Champions Cup win against Toulon as Alex Sanderson’s side go in search of a third successive Gallagher Premiership victory against Harlequins on Saturday.
Full-back Carpenter and loosehead prop Rodd both missed the Champions Cup defeat at Toulouse through injury but they’re fit to start at the Stoop as Alex makes three changes to his starting line-up.
The Sharks DoR has picked a powerful front-row for the round 14 fixture with hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie starting between fellow England front-row stars Rodd and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
Ben Bamber will start alongside Jonny Hill in the second-row while Ernst van Rhyn replaces the injured Ben Curry to start with Tom Curry and Jean-Luc du Preez in the back-row.
Gus Warr and George Ford will combine once again at half-back and they’ll have the power of Rekeiti Ma’asi-White and the guile of skipper Rob du Preez outside them in the centres.
In the back three, Scotland international Arron Reed starts again on the left wing with Tom Roebuck starting on the right. Carpenter returns from a groin injury to start at 15.
Si McIntyre, Wales prop WillGriff John and hooker Tadgh McElroy are the front-row replacements with Hyron Andrews and Sam Dugdale the other forwards on the bench.
Fit-again England scrum-half Quirke joins Sam Bedlow and Alex Wills on the replacements list.
Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez ©, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford 9. Gus Warr, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Tom Curry, 8. JL du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Tadgh McElroy, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Sam Dugdale, 20. Hyron Andrews, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Alex Wills.
Officials:
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referee 1: George Selwood
Assistant referee 2: Simon Harding
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Match stats:
- Harlequins four game unbeaten run in Gallagher Premiership Rugby ended with their 28-47 reversal at Bath in Round 13.
- The Londoners home record at the Twickenham Stoop in Premiership Rugby this season is won three, lost two.
- Sale Sharks have won their last two Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches since their 23-32 defeat at home to Bath in Round 11.
- The Sharks have won twice on the road in Premiership Rugby this campaign, beating Bristol in Round 9 and Newcastle in Round 12.
- Sale have lost just two of their last eight meetings with Harlequins in Premiership Rugby whilst the Sharks have won on three of their last four visits to the Stoop in all competitions.
