Preview: Sale Sharks v Saracens

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond has made one personnel change to his matchday 23 with Josh Strauss coming in at number eight.

The Scotland international replaces Jean-Luc du Preez, who sustained a groin injury during the Sharks’ emphatic victory over Gloucester at Kingsholm last Saturday.

On the bench, academy winger Arron Reed will take up a position in place of Strauss but the squad otherwise remains unchanged.

Chris Ashton, Denny Solomona and Byron McGuigan form a potent back three while Rob du Preez and Faf de Klerk provide plenty of creativity in the playmaking positions.

Up front, Strauss is joined by Tom Curry and captain Jono Ross in the back-row while the front five is the same one that started against the Cherry and Whites.

Meanwhile, Billy Vunipola and Liam Williams will make their return from long-term injuries when Saracens head to Sale Sharks in the Premiership on Friday.

Number eight Vunipola has been absent since breaking his arm against Glasgow Warriors in October while Wales international Williams, who scored in this fixture last year, has been out with a hamstring problem.

David Strettle comes in on the wing after dotting down in his first match in two months last weekend and Richard Wigglesworth has recovered from a groin strain to start at nine.

Alongside Vunipola in the pack, prop Vincent Koch is fit to play and is joined in the front-row by hooker Tom Woolstencroft, with Jamie George rested.

Schalk Burger is reinstated on the flank in Sarries’ seventh change.

Form: Sale Sharks only defeat in the last six rounds of Gallagher Premiership Rugby was 25-31 at Saracens on 17 November. Sale have lost just once at AJ Bell Stadium in Premiership Rugby this season: 13-31 to Wasps in Round 4. Saracens only defeat in their last eighteen Gallagher Premiership Rugby encounters was at Exeter on 22 December. Saracens have not lost successive away games in the tournament since December 2017. Saracens have lost just once to Sale in the Premiership in the last eight years – a 14-10 reversal at the AJ Bell Stadium in February 2015.

The teams:

Sale: 15 Chris Ashton, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 James O’Connor, 12 Sam James, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Jono Ross (c), 5 James Phillips, 4 Josh Beaumont, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Ross Harrison
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Tom Bristow, 18 Joe Jones, 19 Bryn Evans, 20 Ben Curry, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Luke James, 23 Arron Reed

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Alex Lozowski, 11 David Strettle, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 George Kruis, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Calum Clark, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Marcelo Bosch, 23 Sean Maitland

Date: Friday, Jan 4
Venue: AJ Bell Stadium
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley, Greg Macdonald
TMO: David Grashoff