Alex Sanderson makes just one enforced change to his Sharks XV as he prepares to go head-to-head once more with his former club, Saracens, on Friday night (KO 7.45, LIVE on TNT Sports and BBC Radio Manchester).
Hyron Andrews will start in the second-row in place of Jonny Hill, who misses out with a head injury suffered in the round 14 win against Harlequins, while Dan du Preez also returns from a calf injury to take his place on a strong replacements bench.
England winger Tom Roebuck will make his 100th appearance for his boyhood club.
It’s same again for Alex in the front-row with hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie starting between fellow England front-row stars Bevan Rodd and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
South African lock Hyron Andrews returns to partner Ben Bamber in the second-row while flankers Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry team up with Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged with Gus Warr and George Ford combining once again at half-back and Rekeiti Ma’asi-White and 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 brings up 100 Sharks appearances on the right. Joe Carpenter starts again at 15.
Si McIntyre, Wales prop WillGriff John and hooker Tadgh McElroy are the front-row replacements with Josh Beaumont, Sam Dugdale and Dan du Preez the other forwards on the bench.
England scrum-half Raffi Quirke and Tom O’Flaherty are the backs replacements.
Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez (c), 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. Hyron Andrews, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Tom Curry, 8. JL du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Tadgh McElroy, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Dan du Preez, 21. Sam Dugdale, 22. Raffi Quirke, 23. Tom O’Flaherty.
Officials:
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant referee 1: Harry Walbaum
Assistant referee 2: George Selwood
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Match stats:
- Sale Sharks have won their last three Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches and have not won four in succession since last May.
- The Sharks’ only defeat at Salford Community Stadium in Premiership Rugby since January 2024 was to Bath in Round 11 this year.
- Saracens have won their last two Gallagher Premiership Rugby encounters and have not won three in a row since the opening three rounds this campaign.
- Saracens have won three times on the road in Premiership Rugby this season, winning at Gloucester in Round 1, Bristol in Round 5 and at Leicester in Round 13.
- Saracens beat Sale 45-26 at StoneX Stadium in Round 2 and have not achieved a season’s double over the Northerners since 2021/22.
- Saracens have won just once in Salford since 2018: 18-12 in April 2022.
