Sharks and Quins go head-to-head as the title battle intensfies

Sale Sharks and Harlequins meet at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night, in the penultimate round of the Gallagher Premiership.

Third-placed Sale welcome fourth-placed Quins to the North West, as both sides face each other with hopes of securing a home semi-final.

Alex Sanderson’s Sale will be hoping to replicate their performance and result last time out when they overcame table-toppers Bristol Bears in front of the returning Sale Sharks faithful.

Whilst under Sanderson’s reigns, Sharks have only fallen to defeat once on home soil. They come into the game full of confidence and on an impressive run of six consecutive victories at the AJ Bell.

Harlequins travel northwards hopeful of ending Sharks’ run, and if successful, they would make up the two points that separate the sides and leapfrog Sale in the table.

The capital side’s top-four place has resulted from their impressive home form, and since the turn of the New Year, they are yet to lose in the Premiership- a run of seven straight victories.

However, on the road it has been a completely different story for Quins who have struggled of late, managing only one win in their last five outings.

With their top-four places secured, both sides have rotated heavily, with Sharks making nine changes and Quins 10.

Ross Harrison starts for Sharks for the first time in five games, with Josh Beaumont captaining the side from the second row. In the backline, Manu Tuilagi will start his first game since September having returned last week.

Jono Ross and Rohan Janse van Rensburg return to strengthen Sale’s bench. Concussion issues have left Ross absent since the end of March, whilst van Rensburg has missed the last five games.

Embed from Getty Images

For the visitors, Luke Wallace starts in what will be his first appearance for the club in two years. The openside flanker signed from Leicester Tigers last weekend and has been thrown straight into the action.

Joe Marchant also starts for Quins. The centre, who scored a double in Harlequins’ 24-12 victory over Sale earlier in the season, has scored in each of his last three appearances.

Billy Millard’s Quins will be hoping to continue their impressive points-scoring nature tomorrow night, as they sit top of the points scoring charts for the season (637).

Quins have recorded try bonus points in four of their last five fixtures, but securing another against Sharks proves to be a near mission impossible.

No Premiership side has left the AJ Bell this season having scored four tries, with Worcester Warriors being the only league team to claim a try bonus against Sale.

The hosts will be hoping to continue their dominance in this fixture in recent times, as Quins arrive winless in their last six visits to Salford. Their last away victory at Sale came in 2016, a game in which the current Shark, Marland Yarde scored.

A win would keep either sides hopes of a home semi-final alive, although both Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs very much hold those spaces in their hands.

An intriguing battle is instore at the AJ Bell between two sides that could potentially be crowned Premiership Champions in four games time.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt