INJURIES TO FORCE SIX SALE CHANGES

SIX new names are in the Sale Sharks starting XV owing to an extensive injury list as Alex Sanderson aims to tie together the positives from Sharks' opening two matches vs Gloucester tonight.

- TOM JEFFREYS

In the back five of the scrum, there are three changes, with return to play protocols stipulating that both Ben and Tom Curry, Hyron Andrews, and Jean-Luc du Preez miss out.

Josh Beaumont replaces Andrews, van Rhyn returns from his concussion to replace Ben Curry, and Rouban Birch is promoted for the bench in du Preez's place, they accompany Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale.

It means that the formidable front-row trio of Simon McIntyre, Luke Cowan-Dickie, and Asher OpokuFordjour, deputised respectively by Tumy Onasanya, Ethan Caine, and James Harper, continue to provide some stability having scrummaged at a 90 per cent success rate this season on their way to drawing out five penalties.

Rounding off the pack from the bench will be two Sharks debutants. All 6"7' and 130kg of summer signing Le Roux Roets has recovered from a nerve problem to add some enforcement from the bench, and he's accompanied by another giant as 6"7' academy product Tom Burrow earns his first ever senior call up.