Summer signing Marius Louw and Sharks Academy graduate Tristan Woodman will make their first Gallagher Prem starts, while British and Irish Lion Luke Cowan-Dickie returns as Alex Sanderson makes four changes to his side to face Newcastle Red Bulls on Friday night (KO 7.45pm, live on TNT Sports + BBC Radio Manchester).
Winger Arron Reed will also make his first league start of the season and England scrum-half Raffi Quirke is named on the replacements bench after missing the first two Prem games with a minor calf issue.
England props Bevan Rodd and Asher Opoku-Fordjour start again in the front-row either side of Cowan-Dickie. The England and Lions man returns in place of Nathan Jibulu, who has started the season with two tries in two games.
The towering Hyron Andrews starts in the second row alongside Ben Bamber, with skipper Ernst van Rhyn – who is playing his 50th Sharks game – joining Woodman and Sam Dugdale in the back-row.
Gus Warr and England fly-half George Ford start once together once again at half-back and they’ll have the pairing of Louw and Rob du Preez outside them in the centres.
Scotland winger Reed and Tom Roebuck start on the wings with Joe Carpenter at full-back.
The Sharks bench is packed with young talent with Jibulu joining James Harper and veteran Si McIntyre as the front row replacements. Tom Burrow and Ethan Caine – named as back row cover – are the rest of the forwards on the bench.
Quirke, Tom O’Flaherty and Sam Bedlow make up the rest of the replacements.
Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said he’s expecting a physical challenge despite Newcastle having started the season with back to back defeats.
He said: “What I’ve seen from Newcastle in the past, and certainly in the first two games this season, is that they’re very physical and they’re not going to be lacking in commitment.
“They have got some of the highest collision dominance stats on both sides of the ball and they’ve had some good players come into the squad.
“So we have to be prepared to take the bull by the horns and marry our physicality up with our discipline. That’s where our professionalism comes in.
“We have to be disciplined with the ball, disciplined in the collisions and when we don’t have the ball and if we’re not, that’s what can let teams in. We need discipline in all aspects of our game.”
Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Marius Louw, 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. Tristan Woodman, 8. Sam Dugdale.
Replacements:
16. Nathan Jibulu, 17. Simon McIntyre, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Ethan Caine, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Tom O’Flaherty, 23. Sam Bedlow
- The Sharks have lost only once at CorpAcq Stadium in the PREM since January 2024: 23-32 to Bath in January 2025.
- Newcastle Red Bulls are without a win in Gallagher PREM since beating Saracens 17-12 at Kingston Park last November.
- The Tynesiders have won only once away from home in the tournament since November 2022 beating Gloucester at Kingsholm the following November.
- Sale have won their last five encounters with Newcastle since the Red Bulls’ 20-14 win at Kingston Park in December 2022.
- Newcastle have not won at CorpAcq Stadium in the Prem since a 13-12 victory in September 2017.
