Match Preview: Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears

Sale Sharks will look to get back to winning ways when they host Bristol Bears at Salford Stadium on Friday night.

After defeat to new Gallagher Premiership Rugby leaders Northampton Saints in Round 10, Sharks have made just one change, with Rekeiti Ma’asi-White earning his debut in the midfield as Rob du Preez shifts to fly-half in place of the injured George Ford.

Bears, meanwhile, have rung the changes, with AJ MacGinty making his return against his former club, while James Williams comes into the midfield for Virimi Vakatawa, who is injured.

TV: Live on TNT Sports, kick-off 7.45pm

Referee: Karl Dickson

Assistant Referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys and Jamie Leahy

TMO: Andrew Jackson

Sale Sharks: 15. Joe Carpenter , 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Sam James, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Arron Reed, 10.Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Cobus Wiese 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.

Replacements: 16. Agustin Creevy, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Telusa Veainu.

Bristol Bears: 15 Max Malins, 14 Noah Heward, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Harry Randall, 1 Jake Woolmore, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 4 Josh Caulfield, 5 Joe Batley, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 7 Dan Thomas, 8 Magnus Bradbury.

Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Sam Grahamslaw, 18 George Kloska, 19 Joe Owen, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 23 Rich Lane.

Oval Insights

Sale Sharks 

• Ernst van Rhyn has made more successful tackles than any other player this season (164). He has also made the most dominant tackles (16) with Ben Curry and Cobus Wiese in jointsecond (15). 

• Gus Warr has made more kicks that have been retained than any other player this season (20). He has also made the most contestable kicks (44). 

• The Sharks have the lowest rate of goalkicking success in the Premiership (56.1%). Rob du Preez’s is 64.7%; George Ford’s is 50%. 

• Sale Sharks have won more scrum penalties than any other team this season (27), all but four of which have been on their own feed. 

Bristol Bears 

• Kyle Sinckler, Dan Thomas, and Gabriel Oghre all made three dominant tackles against Exeter Chiefs last weekend. Only one player made more in Round 10. 

• Harry Randall made the joint-most kicks in play last weekend (20), a round-high four of which were retained. 

• Virimi Vakatawa has made more offloads than any other player this season (15). Teammate Rich Lane has made 11; Gabriel Ibitoye and Bernhard Janse van Rensburg have both made ten. 

• 45.3% of the Bears’ carries have been made outside of the tramlines – more than any other team.