Premiership
TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby
Tom Roebuck, Raffi Quirke and Bevan Rodd return from England duty to take their places in a strong Sharks matchday squad to face Gloucester on Saturday (KO 1pm – live on BT Sport), as Alex Sanderson’s men look to return to winning ways in the Gallagher Premiership.
Jean-Luc du Preez and Akker van der Merwe are also back after missing the defeat at Saracens through injury while club stalwart Ross Harrison makes his first league start of the season against George Skivington’s side.
Despite Van der Merwe’s return to fitness following an ankle injury picked up against London Irish, Tommy Taylor keeps his place at hooker and he’s flanked by Harrison and Nick Schonert in the front row.
With Jonny Hill selected as part of the England squad to face Argentina at the weekend, ill HiJosh Beaumont starts again in the second row and he’s joined by Jean-Luc du Preez.
The back row is unchanged from the clash with Saracens at the StoneX, with captain Ben Curry joined by blindside flanker Jono Ross and Dan du Preez at number eight.
Gus Warr and Rob du Preez start together again at half-back with Sam Hill and the ever-present Sam James in the centres.
Roebuck goes straight back into the starting line-up after returning from England duty, and he’s joined in a pacy back three by Arron Reed and Joe Carpenter.
Van der Merwe, Rodd and James Harper provide front-row cover on the bench, with Sam Dugdale and Dom Barrow covering the rest of the forwards.
Raffi Quirke, Tom Curtis and Byron McGuigan are the backs replacements.
Speaking ahead of the game Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said he was glad to be able to call on some of his most important players after a bruising encounter at the StoneX in round eight.
He said: “We had five or six questions marks on Monday but they’ve all come through other than Si McIntyre and Tom O’Flaherty, who has broken his jaw.
“Everyone else is in a really positive place and we’re not far off having a full squad to pick from. This game is massive and that’s why I’m so excited.
Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Sam James, 12. Sam Hill, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Robert du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Tommy Taylor, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Jean-Luc du Preez, 5. Josh Beaumont, 6. Jono Ross, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Daniel du Preez
Replacements:
16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Bevan Rodd, 18. James Harper, 19. Dom Barrow, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Byron McGuigan.
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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
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