PREVIEW…
Today. Kick-off 3pm, AJ Bell Stadium
Manu Tuilagi and Josh Beaumont have been named in a strong Sale squad to host Northampton in today's rearranged fixture.
The game was set to be played on Friday evening but was moved to Sunday as a mark of respect following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Tuilagi, 31, was ruled out of England's tour of Australia this summer after picking up a knee injury that required surgery in June.
Beaumont returns to the squad for the first time in a year, also having sustained damage to the knee when he ruptured his right patellar tendon.
Beaumont, 29, is delighted to be back in action and is eager to impress from the bench in front of a packed AJ Bell Stadium.
He said: “I'm looking forward to playing in front of fans as when I came back from my first injury it was behind closed doors and then I played one game in front of 2,000 fans against Harlequins. So, to come back and play in front of a full stadium in a Premiership game is something I can't wait to do as it's been a long time coming.
“Sometimes you have those doubts as to whether you will ever be able to get back, so this will mean a lot to me personally as well as my family and anyone who's been close to me in the past two to three years and have been through the ups and downs.”
The other big story from Sale's starting line-up is the competitive debut of Tom O'Flaherty, with the former Exeter Chiefs winger making his bow on the left wing, having scored a hat-trick last weekend in an impressive 59-7 pre-season thumping of Benetton.
All three of the Du Preez brothers start for the Sharks too, and though this will be their first Premiership game without fellow South African Faf de Klerk, they have the experience and quality of new signing Joe Simpson to call off the bench at scrum-half.
Only five players survived from the Northampton Saints team that last played in the Premiership, their play-off defeat to eventual champions Leicester Tigers.
Phil Dowson has handed two debuts in the starting XV and also two potential debutants on the bench for his maiden Saints game as director of rugby. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto makes his bow in the second row, while Angus Scott-Young features at blindside, with Alfie Petch and Sam Graham named among the replacements.
TEAMS
SALE SHARKS: James, Roebuck, S James, Tuilagi, O'Flaherty, R Du Preez, Warr; McIntyre, VD Merwe, Schonert, Wiese, Postlethwaite, J Du Preez, B Curry (c), D Du Preez
Replacements: Taylor, Harrison, Oosthuizen, Beaumont, Ross, Simpson, Curtis, Reed
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Collins, Sleightholme, Proctor, Dingwall (c), Skosan, Grayson, Mitchell; Waller, Haywood, Hill, Salakai-Loto, Coles, Scott-Young, Hinkley, Augustus
Replacements: Matavesi, Iyogun, Petch, Moon, Graham, James, Litchfield, Furbank
