Sale Sharks look to get back on track

Struggling Sale Sharks welcome Exeter Chiefs to the Salford Community Stadium on Sunday afternoon as they attempt to stay in the play-off mix. 

Alex Sanderson’s side are in a poor run of form, winning just one of their last six Gallagher Premiership encounters, leading to them dropping from first place to eighth.

With only five matches left of the regular season, the Sharks can ill afford any more slip ups if they are to qualify for the play-offs once again.

The visiting Chiefs on the other hand are well placed for a play-off push with five games to go.

Rob Baxter’s side have picked up three wins in their last five outings, beating Newcastle Falcons last weekend to kick-start their run in.

A win for the Chiefs, who currently sit in fifth place, will see them climb the whole way up to second place, highlighting the competitiveness of the Gallagher Premiership this season.

Baxter has made seven changes to the side that picked up a bonus-point win over Newcastle Falcons last weekend, with Will Rigg in from the start after making his Premiership debut from the bench last time out.

The centre will be joined by experienced head Henry Slade in the middle of the park after he returned from England Six Nations duty.

Exeter also welcome back rising star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who is sure to give former Chiefs winger Tom O’Flaherty a difficult afternoon in Salford.

The Chiefs will deploy a Welsh duo in the engine room of the scrum with Dafydd Jenkins returning to partner Christ Tshiunza.

Fresh from signing a new one year deal with the Sharks Luke Cowan-Dickie starts in the front-row for Sale alongside academy products Bevan Rodd and James Harper.

Captain Ben Curry is set to make his return from injury in the back row while Josh Beaumont continues to fill in for stricken Jonny Hill in the second row.

Just the one change in the Sale backline as O’Flaherty comes in for Arron Reed as he looks to get one over his former side.

The round fourteen encounter kicks-off at 3pm at the Salford Community Stadium on Sunday and you can keep across all the action on Prost International’s channels.

Sale Sharks XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob Du Preez, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. James Harper, 4. Cobus Weise, 5. Josh Beaumont, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Ben Curry, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez

Replacements: 

16. Tommy Taylor, 17. Ross Harrison, 18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19. Ben Bamber, 20. Hyron Andrews, 21. Sam Dugdale, 22. Raffi Quirke, 23. Sam James

Exeter Chiefs XV:

15. Josh Hodge, 14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Will Rigg, 11. Olly Woodburn, 10. Harvey Skinner, 9. Will Becconsall, 1. Scott Sio, 2. Jack Yeandle, 3. Ehren Painter, 4. Dafydd Jenkins, 5. Christ Tshiunza, 6. Ross Vintcent., 7. Richard Capstick, 8. Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16. Dan Frost, 17. Danny Southworth, 18. Marcus Street, 19. Lewis Pearson, 20. Jack Dunne, 21. Stu Townsend, 22. Will Haydon-Wood, 23. Zack Wimbush