Sale Sharks name team for Newcastle clash

England stars Ben Curry, Tom Roebuck, George Ford, Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Bevan Rodd return to Alex Sanderson’s team after Six Nations duty as the Sharks Director of Rugby picks a strong XV for the Derby Weekend clash against Newcastle Falcons. 

Fresh from winning England’s Player of the Match award in the win against Wales on Saturday, Curry captains the side while Roebuck, who scored on his first test start at the Principality Stadium, takes his place on the right wing. 

Props Rodd and Opoku-Fordjour missed out on selection for England during the Six Nations, but they come straight back into the Sharks front-row with Tadgh McElroy starting at hooker. 

Ben Bamber and Jonny Hill team up in a towering second-row while Ernst van Rhyn, captain Curry and JL du Preez start in the back-row. 

Gus Warr and Ford are reunited at half-back, while Rekeiti Ma’asi-White and Rob du Preez start again in the centres. 

Roebuck and Tom O’Flaherty start on the wings with Joe Carpenter taking his place at full-back. 

Si McIntyre, Wales prop WillGriff John and academy hooker Harry Thompson are the front-row replacements with Hyron Andrews and Sam Dugdale the other forwards on the bench. 

Scrum-half Nye Thomas joins fellow backs Sam Bedlow and Arron Reed on the replacements list. 

Sale Sharks Starting XV:   

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rekeiti Ma’asi White, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford 9. Gus Warr, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Tadgh McElroy, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. JL du Preez.   

Replacements:   

16. Harry Thompson, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Arron Reed.