Sale Sharks Team News

PHILIPPE SAINT ANDRE has made three changes to last weeks starting line up for Friday evenings game against NEC Harlequins at Edgeley Park (KO 7-45pm).

Steve Hanley returns after missing the last five games with a broken thumb, Byron Hayward starts at Fly half and Pierre Caillet replaces Chris Jones who picked up a hand injury at Bath. Mike Hercus has joined up with the USA team for the game against Ireland and Chris Rhys Jones returns to the bench.

Sale Sharks: Chris Mayor, James Moore, Jos Baxendell, Robert Todd, Steve Hanley, Byron Hayward, Sililo Martens, Stuart Turner, Johnny Roddam, Barry Stewart, Chris Day, Dean Schofield, Pierre Caillet, Magnus Lund and Sebastien Chabal.

Replacements from: Martin Halsall, Sebastien Bozzi, Peter Anglesea, Josh Taumalolo, Richard Wigglesworth, Bryan Redpath, Chris Rhys Jones, John Carter

Philippe Saint Andre said: “Last week the players started the game and did not believe they could win. We played some good rugby just before the break but we need to play well for eighty minutes this week against a Harlequins side who found form last week when they defeated Saracens.”

NEC Harlequins Team News

NEC Harlequins head coach Mark Evans has selected the same team that played in the 40-10 victory over Saracens last Friday (12th November) for tomorrow nights (Friday 19th November) game against Sale Sharks in the Zurich Premiership at Edgeley Park, kick-off 7.45pm. 

Recent signing Geo Cronje will be travelling with the team but must continue to wait to make his Quins debut, having recovered from a knee injury. 

“As satisfying as the result and performance was against Saracens last week, it will count for nothing if we do not build on it,” said Evans. “We are still at the wrong end of the Premiership table but victories in our next two games against Sale and Leeds Tykes (28th November) will give us a good chance of climbing the ladder further when the league campaign resumes at the end of December and into the New Year.”

“Sale have an excellent record at Edgeley Park and we are expecting another tough game. However, if we continue to improve on our recent form then we can be confident of coming away with a positive result.”  

The full team is as follows: 

15. Tom Williams
14. George Harder
13. Dafydd James
12. Mel Deane
11. Simon Keogh
10. Jeremy Staunton
9. Steve So’oialo
1. Mike Worsley
2. Tani Fuga
3. Ceri Jones
4. Roy Winters
5. Simon Miall
6. Nick Easter
7. Andre Vos (Capt.)
8. Tony Diprose

Replacements:
16. James Hayter
17. Jon Dawson
18. Simon Maling
19. Luke Sherriff
20. Andy Dunne
21. Ugo Monye
22. Gavin Duffy

Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership

Played    14  
Sale Sharks Won   10  71.4%
NEC Harlequins Won  3  21.4%
Drawn    1  7.1%