| Gallagher Premiership |
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| Venue: AJ Bell Stadium Date: Friday, 6 March Kick-off: 20:00 GMT Coverage: BBC local radio, live scores on the BBC Sport website and app |
World Cup winner Lood de Jager could pull on a Sale shirt for the first time when they host London Irish on Friday.
South Africa lock De Jager is among the replacements for the Sharks following shoulder surgery in November.
Sean O’Brien makes his debut for London Irish at blind-side flanker having recovered from a long-term hip injury.
He is one of three changes from the Exiles side which started against Wasps on Sunday with prop Sekope Kepu and flanker Ben Donnell returning.
Sale could move joint-top of the table with an emphatic bonus-point victory, with Exeter not in action until Saturday against Bath.
The Sharks also welcome back fellow Springboks World Cup winner Faf de Klerk on the bench while Denny Solomona takes over on the right wing from Scotland international Byron McGuigan, who is among the replacements.
Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond told BBC North West Tonight:
“If we can get a result against London Irish it will secure us nicely in second spot at the end of this block of Premiership fixtures.
“We’ve then got a home cup final to look forward to after that but we’re putting it on the back-burner for now.
“We’ve got full buy-in from all the players, coaches and support staff. Everyone’s on the same wavelength and that’s why we’re doing so well.
“I can’t see why we can’t push things at the top of this competition for the next three or four years.”
London Irish assistant coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Berkshire:
“Big respect for Sale; Steve Diamond’s done a terrific job on his recruitment and built a great platform the past couple of years and put a couple of seriously physical players in there as well.
“It’s never been an easy place to go and play and the way they’re playing right now, it’s a real challenge.
“But, we’re building nicely and every week the boys learn a bit more about each other and that’s an exciting prospect.
“We’re starting to see the characters and the players we brought in to take this group forward with some real quality on the pitch, but also off the pitch as well.”
Sale: Hammersley; Solomona, S James, L James, Yarde; R du Preez, Cliff; Oosthuizen, Webber, Cooper-Woolley, Evans, J-L du Preez, Ross (capt), B Curry, D du Preez.
Replacements: Langdon, Harrison, John, Phillips, De Jager, De Klerk, Curtis, McGuigan.
London Irish: Parton; Loader, Rona, Hepetema, Hassell-Collins; Myler, Meehan; Elrington, Matu’u, Kepu, Van der Merwe (capt), Coleman, O’Brien, Donnell, Tuisue.
Replacements: Fainga’a, Goodrick-Clarke, Hoskins, Mafi, Rogerson, Cowan, Phipps, Campbell.
Referee: Andrew Jackson (RFU).
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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