Sale Sharks name team to play Clermont

Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson makes just two changes to his side for the trip to the Stade Marcel-Michelin on Saturday as centre Joe Bedlow comes in for his Investec Champions Cup debut in place of the injured Rekeiti-Ma’asi-White, and Ben Curry replaces twin brother Tom at number 8.

Both Clermont and Sharks got their Champions Cup campaigns off to a losing start last weekend but Alex has backed his men to get back to winning ways in front of the famously vociferous French crowd.

In the front row hooker Nathan Jibulu starts with props Si McIntyre and WillGriff John.

In the second-row, England U20s captain Tom Burrow starts his second ever Champions Cup game alongside the ever-present Ben Bamber. And in the back-row, skipper Ernst van Rhyn and Jacques Vermeulen are joined by England star Ben Curry.

At half-back Raffi Quirke teams up with Rob du Preez, who starts again at fly-half in the continued absence of George Ford. Marius Louw will start at 12 with Bedlow coming in to start at 13.

The back three remains unchanged with Alex Wills and Tom O’Flaherty once again on the wings and Scotland’s Arron Reed at full-back.

The Sharks bench is packed with talent with hooker Ethan Caine joined by replacement props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper. Hyron Andrews and Tristan Woodman will offer extra forward options from the bench.

Gus Warr, Ollie Davies and winger Gurshwin Wehr are the backs replacements.

Starting XV:

15. Arron Reed, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Joe Bedlow, 12. Marius Louw, 11. Alex Wills, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Raffi Quirke; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Nathan Jibulu, 3. WillGriff John, 4. Tom Burrow, 5. Ben Bamber, 6. Jacques Vermeulen, 7. Ernst van Rhyn ©, 8. Ben Curry.

Replacements:

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Tristan Woodman, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Ollie Davies, 23. Gurshwin Wehr.