TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears

Red Rose and Sale Sharks captain Morwenna Talling returns from winning WXV 1 and starts at 8 for Sale this weekend in a huge boost for Rachel Taylor.

Niamh Swailes also returns and starts at hooker after a foot injury to strengthen the forward options and Holly Thorpe starts on the wing for the first time this season, also after recovering from injury.

Promising young flanker Lucie Sams gets her first start of the season after impressing off the bench in the loss to Loughborough last weekend while Tails names a strong bench with the likes of Harper, Cowan and Perrin all looking to make an impact.

Sale Sharks Starting XV

15. Nikita Prothero, 14. Sophie Hopkins, 13. Vicky A Irwin, 12. Beatrice Rigoni, 11. Holly Thorpe, 10. Robyn Wilkins, 9. Sofia Stephan, 1. Catie Benson, 2. Niamh Swailes, 3. Nick James, 4. Iona Antwis, 5. Erica Jarrell, 6. Lucie Sams, 7. Alba Capell, 8. Morwenna Talling

Replacements

16. Scarlett Fielding, 17. Sophie Lewis, 18. Detysha Harper, 19. Trudy Cowan, 20. Jo Brown, 21. India Perris-Redding, 22. Laura Perrin, 23 Isobel McGuire-Evans

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