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The fixture between Sale Sharks and Wasps will be the first 2022 game in the Gallagher Premiership as both sides look to start the New Year positively.
Alex Sanderson’s Sharks haven’t played a fixture in almost three weeks after their last two matches were postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the club.
Sale’s Heineken Champions Cup match against ASM Clermont Auvergne was called off less than 24 hours before kick-off after all of the meetings between French and UK clubs were postponed.
Most recently, the Sharks’ Boxing Day game against the Newcastle Falcons was cancelled after Sale had a significant number of players in isolation due to positive COVID-19 test results.
A Premiership Rugby panel confirmed during the week that the score would be recorded as 0-0 with the Falcons being awarded four points and the Sharks earning two. League rules state that the club that are unable to fulfil the fixture will be allocated less points.
Inconsistency had held Sharks back in recent weeks, and since their demolishing of Northampton Saints at the start of November, a neat formulaic pattern of a loss then a win has unfolded with Sale’s last Premiership clash ending in a 25-14 defeat at the hands of Saracens.
In their last outing, Sharks fended off a second-half Ospreys fightback to get off to winning ways in the Champions Cup in South Wales.
A blistering first-half saw the Sharks lead 21-3 at the break following tries from Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Ewan Ashman and Jean-Luc du Preez, however, 10 unanswered points from the Welsh side saw the score finish 21-13.
Likewise to Sale, Wasps found their scheduled Champions Cup fixture against Toulouse postponed due to the new travel restrictions impacting their journey to France.
Wasps had no festive blues when ending 2021 with a 36-30 victory over London Irish on Boxing Day. Hooker Dan Frost crossed twice as the Irish missed four conversions and allowed the Wasps to end a six-game winless run.
Lee Blackett’s side travel to the AJ Bell sitting 8th in the table and five points ahead of the Sharks who are currently 11th. A win for the visitors could take them 6th whilst maximum points for Sale could see them leapfrog the Newcastle Falcons.
Jono Ross returns to the starting lineup for the Sharks after spending over a month on the sidelines following a head injury. There is also a first start since October for Will Cliff who has recovered from a knee injury.
Ex-Wasps duo Tommy Taylor and Simon McIntyre act as front replacements on the bench.
Wasps have named three changes and two positional switches from the team that beat the Irish five days ago.
Jimmy Gopparth starts at fly-half in place of Jacob Umaga, who this morning was served a three match suspension after he was red carded in the closing stages of the Boxing Day clash against London Irish for a dangerous tackle.
Disciplinary update | Jacob Umaga has received a three match ban following his red card against London Irish.
Read the full judgement here: https://t.co/66jiUV5ynC pic.twitter.com/C7Kh6OvvTm
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) December 31, 2021
Centres Sam Spink and Michael Le Bourgeois come into the starting side with the only other change seeing Nizaam Carr replace Thomas Young at openside flanker.
In recent clashes at the AJ Bell between the two, Sharks have largely dominated. Wasps have only won twice in their last 13 attempts in the northwest although the battles usually unfold into high scoring contests.
Blackett’s side did leave with a 26-23 win on their last visit to Salford as tries from Charlie Atkinson and Tom Cruse, along with 16-points from the boot of Lima Sopoaga, proved to be too much for Sharks.
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