Warr returns for Sale

Scrum-half Gus Warr returns to the side while Sam James replaces the injured Joe Carpenter at full-back as Alex Sanderson’s men chase a fourth successive bonus point win in their final home game of the regular Premiership season against Leicester Tigers (Friday 10^th May, KO 7.45pm, live on TNT Sports). 

Alex makes a total of four changes to his side from the win against Newcastle, with Tom O’Flaherty replacing Arron Reed on the wing and Hyron Andrews making his first Sharks start in the second-row. There’s also a return to the matchday squad for Ernst van Rhyn. 

Alex has picked an all-homegrown front-row to face the Tigers with Bevan Rodd and James Harper packing down either side of Tommy Taylor, who will make his 150^th Sharks appearance. 

In the second-row, Cobus Wiese, who is making his final league appearance at the Salford Stadium before returning to South Africa, teams up with countryman Andrews for the first time from the start, while the back-row is unchanged with Sam Dugdale and captain Ben Curry flanking JL du Preez at number 8. 

Scrum-half Warr joins George Ford at half-back and they’ll have the Manu Tuilagi and Rob du Preez outside them in the centres. Wingers O’Flaherty and Tom Roebuck and full-back James, who announced this week that he will leave the club in the summer, make up the rest of the XV. 

On the replacements bench, hooker Agustin Creevy is joined by props Si McIntyre and WillGriff John. Ben Bamber and van Rhyn make up the rest of the forwards replacements, while Raffi Quirke, Rekeiti Ma’asi White and Reed will cover the backs. 

Speaking in his pre-match media briefing, Alex said: “It’s another massive game, another knockout game and time is running out with this group – it’s not running out for us to do something this season, but I want to make the most of the time I’ve got left with lads who I now call friends who are moving on in the summer. 

“It’s necessary to talk about and acknowledge the fact that it’s a knockout game. This is why we’re in the game and why we play top-level sport. It’s for these massive, high stress, high pressure moments. These are the games and scenarios when we can create some really good memories that will stick with us. 

“I’m expecting it to be buzzing at the Salford Stadium and I can’t wait. There’s a feeling and a belief that we could do something really great, and I have no doubt that energy will come down from the crowds. 

“I want the players to make good on some of the language they’ve been using this week. I’m expecting them to perform at test match physicality, but I expect them to stay cool under the kind of crazy intensity that Leicester can bring.” 

Sale Sharks Starting XV:   

15. Sam James, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Tommy Taylor, 3. James Harper, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Ben Curry ©, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. JL du Preez.   

Replacements:   

16. Agustin Creevy, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Ben Bamber, 20. Ernst van Rhyn, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Rekeiti Ma’asi White, 23. Arron Reed. 

• Sale Sharks have won their last three Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches since their 24-42 defeat at Bath in Round 13. 
• The Sharks’ only defeat at the Salford Stadium in Premiership Rugby since October 2022 was 14-22 to Bristol on 5th January. 
• Leicester Tigers’ only win in their last four Gallagher Premiership Rugby encounters was 19-13 at Newcastle in Round 14. 
• The Tigers record away from home in Premiership Rugby this season is won four, lost four. 
• Sale have won their last five fixtures against Leicester in Premiership Rugby whilst their only loss to the East Midlanders in the tournament since September 2018 was 11-19 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in October 2021. 
• The Tigers have won at Salford this season, beating their hosts 18-14 in the Premiership Rugby Cup in September but they have not tasted success at the venue in Premiership Rugby since May 2018.