Academy front-rowers Ralph McEachran and Alfie Longstaff will make their first Sharks starts at The Stoop while winger Arron Reed returns after a quad injury as Alex Sanderson’s men look to bounce back from Sunday’s defeat against Saracens (KO 3pm, LIVE on Discovery+).
The Sharks Director of Rugby has made four changes to his side for the trip to London with Tristan Woodman also coming into the back row. Asher Opoku-Fordjour switches from loosehead back to his familiar tighthead position.
After four appearances off the bench, Academy hooker Longstaff starts in a front row that includes Opoku-Fordjour and England U20s loosehead McEachran.
Skipper Ernst van Rhyn once again teams up with Ben Bamber in the second row while Jacques Vermeulen, Sam Dugdale and Sharks Academy graduate Woodman make up a dynamic back row.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half with George Ford at fly-half and outside them, Rekeiti Ma’asi-White is joined in the centres by Rob du Preez, who returns to his familiar 13 shirt after starting last weekend at full-back.
Scotland winger Reed returns on the left wing with Tom Roebuck on the right. With Joe Carpenter still absent with a groin injury picked up in the defeat against Leinster, Tom O’Flaherty starts at full-back.
On the bench, hooker Ethan Caine is joined by props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper. Hyron Andrews and Seb Kelly are the other forwards named as replacements as Alex opts for a 5-3 split.
Dom Hanson, Marius Louw and Ollie Davies make up the rest of the bench.
Starting XV:
15. Tom O’Flaherty, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Ralph McEachran, 2. Alfie Longstaff, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ernst van Rhyn ©, 5. Ben Bamber, 6. Jacques Vermeulen, 7. Tristan Woodman, 8. Sam Dugdale.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Seb Kelly, 21. Dom Hanson, 22. Marius Louw, 23. Ollie Davies.
