Jonny Hill, Jean-Luc du Preez, Joe Carpenter, Gus Warr, Nick Schonert and Sam Dugdale will all make their first appearances of the new season as Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson shuffles his pack for the trip to Newcastle on Friday night (KO 7.45pm).
After starring on his debut last weekend, summer signing Ernst van Rhyn keeps his place for the Kingston Park as does centre Sam Bedlow, who started against Leicester after re-joining the club from Bristol.
In the front row, veteran prop Ross Harrison teams up with Nick Schonert and Sale FC hooker Nathan Langdon, who is the brother of former Sharks forward Curtis.
After impressive performances against Bedford and Leicester, Ben Bamber keeps his place in the second row, and he’s joined by Jonny Hill, who returned to training this week after being released from England duty.
Homegrown flanker Dugdale, and South Africans van Rhyn and JL du Preez team up in an abrasive back row.
In the backs, Warr joins captain Tom Curtis in the half-backs and they’ll have a powerful centre pairing of Connor Doherty and Bedlow for company.
Carpenter starts at full-back, either side of pacy wingers Arron Reed and Tom O’Flaherty.
On the replacements bench, academy products Harry Thompson, Tumy Onasanya and James Harper offer front-row cover, while Alex Groves and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards.
Nye Thomas, Sam James and Tom Roebuck will be the backs replacements.
Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Connor Doherty, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Tom Curtis ©, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Nathan Langdon, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. JL du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Harry Thompson, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Alex Groves, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam James, 23. Tom Roebuck.
