Sharks’ England contingent are all back to face Michael Cheika’s Leicester Tigers as the Gallagher Premiership returns after the international break. Tom Curry, George Ford, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ben Curry, Tom Roebuck and Asher Opoku-Fordjour all start in the second game of our Sharks Sunday double-header (KO 3.15pm, Live on TNT Sports).
Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson has picked an all England Sharks front-row with newly capped Asher Opoku-Fordjour lining up at tighthead alongside Bevan Rodd and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie.
After sitting out the Premiership Rugby Cup games, Hyron Andrews returns to the second-row alongside fellow South African Ernst van Rhyn.
And in the back-row, Alex has picked both Ben and Tom Curry to start alongside number 8 Dan du Preez, who will mark 100 Sharks appearances by leading the team out.
Gus Warr and George Ford are reunited at half-back while Luke James gets the nod to start alongside Rob du Preez in the centres.
Fresh from scoring his first England try, Tom Roebuck starts on the wing with Arron Reed and full-back Joe Carpenter making up a familiar back-three.
On the bench, Alex has opted for a 6-2 split with Tadgh McElroy, Si McIntyre and James Harper covering the front-row. JL du Preez, Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale are the remaining forward replacements, while Raffi Quirke and the versatile Will Addison make up the rest of the bench.
Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Luke James, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Dan du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Tadgh McElroy, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. James Harper, 19. JL du Preez, 20. Tom Burrow, 21. Sam Dugdale, 22. Raffi Quirke, 23. Will Addison.
