TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks Women v Loughborough Lightning

After seeing their last two games postponed, Rachel Taylor makes just one change to her Sale Sharks Women side from the win against Harlequins with co-captain Lauren Delany returning on the wing to face Loughborough Lightning at Heywood Road on Saturday (KO 3pm). 

That means Italian international Beatrice Rigoni starts again at fly-half and Red Rose Morwenna Talling is named as co-captain against her former team. USA international Georgie Perris-Redding returns from injury to take her place on the replacements bench. 

In the Sharks front-row, prop Nick James starts again alongside Catie Benson and hooker Niamh Swailes. 

Italian international Sara Tounesi lines up once again alongside Iona Antwis in the second-row with Jo Brown teaming up with Rachel McLachlan and Talling (number 8) in the back-row. 

Scotland international Mhairi Grieve starts at scrum-half with Rigoni for company at fly-half, and outside them, co-captain Katana Howard is joined once again by international teammate Eti Haungatau in the centres. 

Hollie Bawden and Ireland international Delany start again on the wings with kicking machine Vicky A Irwin lining up at full-back. 

Molly Kelly is named up on the bench once again and she’ll offer front row cover along with Anne Young and England international – and former Loughborough player – Detysha Harper. 

Molly Morrissey and Perris-Redding are the other forwards replacements, while Sian Jones, Sarah Law and another former Lightning player, Nikita Prothero, will cover the backs. 

15. Vicky A Irwin, 14. Lauren Delany (cc) 13. Eti Haungatau, 12. Katana Howard, 11. Hollie Bawden, 10. Beatrice Rigoni, 9. Mhairi Grieve, 1. Catie Benson, 2. Niamh Swailes, 3.Nick James, 4. Sara Tounesi, 5. Iona Antwis, 6. Jo Brown, 7. Rachel McLachlan, 8. Morwenna Talling (cc). 

16. Molly Kelly, 17. Anne Young, 18. Detysha Harper, 19. Molly Morrisey, 20. Georgie Perris-Redding, 21. Sian Jones, 22. Sarah Law, 23. Nikita Prothero. 

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