Ben Curry will enter the record books this weekend as the 21-year-old becomes the youngest player to make 100 appearances for Sale Sharks after being named in the club’s starting line-up for their Gallagher Premiership clash with Saracens this Saturday at Allianz park. (Kick-off 3pm).
Steve Diamond makes two personnel changes to the Sharks’ matchday-23 he named to face Saracens just eight days ago in the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final, as Chris Ashton and Byron McGuigan return to the back three ahead of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership match.
Announcing his retirement plans this week, Rob Webber will make his final trip to Allianz Park as a player and after returning from Wales’ Six Nations Camp, Will-Griff John moves back into the starting line-up alongside Ross Harrison as the Sharks continue to consistently rotate their front row options throughout the season.
The rest of the forwards remain unchanged for the trip to Allianz Park. Bryn Evans and Jean-Luc du Preez start in the lock, with the formidable partnership of Jono Ross, Ben Curry and last week’s Man of the Match Daniel du Preez making up the back row.
Will Cliff continues to demonstrate his electric form at scrum half and partners up with Rob du Preez in the half-back roles. Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Sam James keep their spots in the midfield for the Sharks trip south this weekend, with a back three of Chris Ashton, Byron McGuigan and Simon Hammersley outside them.
Akker van der Merwe, Coenie Oosthuizen and Jake Cooper-Woolley make up an experienced replacement front row, with Mark Wilson and James Phillips also named as forwards replacements. Phillips is set to make his 50th Sale Sharks appearance when he takes to the field.
Gus Warr, Luke James and Denny Solomona complete an exciting replacements bench for the Sharks round 10 clash at Allianz Park.
Ahead this weekend’s match, Sharks Director of Rugby Steve Diamond stated his team cannot be complacent as they prepare to face Saracens again after an impressive performance at the AJ Bell Stadium last week. He Said: “Saracens will be a different beast at home this weekend and we cannot be complacent after a decent performance in the Cup. It’s great to be back into the Gallagher Premiership but a trip to Allianz Park is always tough and to win there is a feat in itself. It will be a good test of where we are at on Saturday.”
