Alex Sanderson has picked one Premiership debutant, an U20s World Cup-winning prop and two Curry brothers to face Harlequins in the first Gallagher Premiership fixture of the 24/25 season (Sunday 22nd September, KO 3pm, live on TNT Sports).
Fiji skipper Waisea Nayacelevu starts a Premiership game for the first time after joining the club from Toulon, while fresh from helping England to U20s World Championship glory in the summer, prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour gets his first Sharks start at tighthead.
In total Alex has named 15 players in his matchday 23 who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England forwards Bevan Rodd and Luke Cowan-Dickie line up alongside 20-year-old Opoku-Fordjour.
It’s an all South African second-row as Ernst van Rhyn teams up with Hyron Andrews, who has signed a new one-year contract to stay in Manchester this season.
Skipper Ben Curry is reunited with brother Tom in the back row and the England duo will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
In the half-backs, Gus Warr starts at scrum-half while George Ford will wear the number ten shirt.
Rob du Preez starts at inside centre and he’ll have new signing Nayacalevu outside him. Alex has picked a familiar back three with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter teaming up once again.
Alex has picked a 6-2 split on the replacements bench, with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont, Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas and new signing Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting Lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 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. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Ben Bamber, 21. Sam Dugdale, 22. Nye Thomas, 23. Will Addison.
Limited tickets are still available for Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership opener here.
