Planet Rugby

Preview: Sale v Gloucester

29th October 2009 12:32

Dwayne Peel against Leicester

Sharks duty: Dwayne Peel

Sale Sharks boss Kingsley Jones has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester at Edgeley Park.

The Guinness Premiership strugglers, who are without back England trio Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait and Richard Wigglesworth, recall Marika Vakacegu, Lee Thomas and Dwayne Peel to respective wing and scrum-half duties on Friday.

Elsewhere and James Gaskell has dropped to bench duty with his place taken by Carl Fearns and Brent Cockbain does not make the squad.

"There were some pleasing signs in the game last week at Northampton," said Jones when discussing the upcoming fixture.

"We fought back well in the second half and were not that far away at the end.

"Gloucester are in a false position near the foot of the table and I am sure that after their defeat last week at home to Wasps, they will be ready for a real scrap tomorrow night."

Meanwhile, international Mike Tindall makes a timely return for Gloucester in one of several changes that Head Coach Bryan Redpath makes.

England centre Tindall has been absent with a hamstring injury since the Kingsholm outfit's victory at Leeds Carnegie on October 4th and forms a new look centre partnership alongside Tim Molenaar.

Samoan international Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu is ruled out with a knee injury and James Simpson-Daniel moves to the wing.

At half-back, Welsh international Nicky Robinson returns at fly-half to partner Rory Lawson.

There are two changes to the pack that started against Wasps last weekend. Paul Doran-Jones starts in place of Alasdair Dickinson who injured a shoulder in that game and Andrew Hazell takes over from Akapusi Qera at openside flanker.

"I'm looking forward to it [facing his old club Sale]," said Redpath.

"We've played well up there in the past. Last year we didn't perform as well but the previous three times we've done really well.

"In all three games we've been in front and Charlie (Hodgson) has kicked his way back into it every time. We have to be aware of the threat he poses."

And Redpath can see similarities between the two clubs in terms of struggling for results.

"They've gone through a bit of a transition with players and are below us in the league by one point. They are playing like us in some aspects, I can see their frustration as well," he continued.

"So we've got to go up there confident, as a group and not carry what happened last Saturday. We've got to get out of it, we've got to focus on the problems we have and there's no better way to do that than another game."

Form: The last 13 clashes between Sale and Gloucester have all been won by the home side on the day. Gloucester have lost on all six previous visits to Edgeley Park and have not won on Sale soil since 2002. Sale Sharks have won just one of their last seven matches in all competitions: 27-26 over Cardiff Blues at Edgeley Park in the European Cup on 16 October. The Sharks have lost their last two games in Stockport in the Guinness Premiership but have not lost three in a row there in the competition since season 2006/07. Gloucester have won just one game in the Guinness Premiership since the opening weekend: 26-10 at struggling Leeds Carnegie on 4 October, this represents the Cherry & White's only away victory in any tournament during 2009.

The teams:

Sale: 15 Nick Macleod, 14 Ben Cohen, 13 Andy Tuilagi, 12 Lee Thomas, 11 Marika Vakacegu, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Sisa Koyamaibole, 7 Luke Abraham, 6 Carl Fearns, 5 Dean Schofield, 4 Brent Cockbain, 3 Jack Forster, 2 Marc Jones, 1 Eifion Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Gavin Kerr, 18 Rob O'Donnell, 19 James Gaskell, 20 David Seymour, 21 Chris Leck, 22 Jonny Kennedy, 23 Oriol Ripol.

Gloucester: 15 Tom Voyce, 14 James Simpson-Daniel, 13 Mike Tindall, 12 Tim Molenaar, 11 Lesley Vainikolo, 10 Nicky Robinson, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Gareth Delve (capt), 7 Andrew Hazell, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Dave Attwood, 4 Will James, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Paul Doran-Jones.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawiduik, 17 Pierre Capdevielle, 18 Yann Thomas, 19 Adam Eustace, 20 Akapusi Qera, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Carlos Spencer, 23 Charlie Sharples.

Date: Friday, October 30
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Venue: Edgeley Park
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Ashley Rowden, Robin Goodliffe
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury
Television match official: Andrew Turner

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