Bok duo start for Sale Sharks against Exeter Chiefs

Colin Newboult

Sale Sharks have announced their line-up to face domestic and European champions Exeter Chiefs in Round Eleven of the Premiership on Friday.

Rugby World Cup-winning duo Lood de Jager and Faf de Klerk start as director of rugby Alex Sanderson makes 11 changes to his XV at the AJ Bell Stadium.

There are six alterations in a near complete reshuffle in the pack as academy graduates Bevan Rodd and Curtis Langdon line up alongside WillGriff John in a new-look front-row.

Josh Beaumont and De Jager both return to the starting line-up and add huge experience to the Sale pack. Jono Ross captains the side from blindside flanker and joins Cameron Neild and Daniel du Preez in a mobile Sale back-row.

De Klerk and AJ MacGinty make their first starts since the team’s victory over the high-flying Bristol Bears on February 5. The mercurial pair have the power and precision of Sam Hill and Sam James at their disposal in midfield with Byron McGuigan, Marland Yarde and Luke James completing the XV in the back three.

Ewan Ashman, Ross Harrison and Coenie Oosthuizen provide an exciting mix of youth and experience as front-row cover, whilst Cobus Wiese and Sam Dugdale give Sanderson further options in the Sharks pack.

After a lively cameo at The Stoop in his Premiership debut, Raffi Quirke is named again as replacement scrum-half, he joins Robert du Preez and Simon Hammersley as cover for the backs.

Joe Simmonds back for Exeter Chiefs

Meanwhile, team news for Exeter Chiefs sees boss Rob Baxter make two changes to his pack from last weekend.

In the second-row, Sean Lonsdale comes in for his first start of the season in place of Will Witty, while South African Jacques Vermeulen is also included for the first time this season, having recovered from shoulder surgery. He replaces Richard Capstick at openside.

Behind them, Joe Simmonds returns at fly-half, while a switch around in the back three sees Facundo Cordero return on the wing with Josh Hodge switching to full-back as Stuart Hogg is on international duty with Scotland.

On the bench, there is a welcome return to the fold for prop Ben Moon, while Stu Townsend is also included as scrum-half replacement.

Form: Sale Sharks have lost their last two matches, at home to Bath and away at Harlequins, since beating Bristol at Ashton Gate on 5 February. The Sharks have won only one of their last four fixtures played at AJ Bell Stadium in all competitions: 20-13 against Worcester in Round 6 of the Premiership. Exeter Chiefs’ three-game winning run in Premiership Rugby ended with their narrow defeat to Northampton at Sandy Park on Saturday. The Chiefs have won their last two away games in the tournament, at Worcester and at Newcastle, and have not won three in succession on the road since August. The Chiefs have lost just one of their last 10 encounters with the Sharks in all tournaments since 2016: 22-19 at Sandy Park in the league in January 2020. Exeter have won on their last five visits to Salford.

The teams:

Sale Sharks: 15 Luke James, 14 Byron McGuigan, 13 Sam James, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Marland Yarde, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Cameron Neild, 6 Jono Ross (c), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Josh Beaumont, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Raffi Quirke, 22 Robert du Preez, 23 Simon Hammersley

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Josh Hodge, 14 Facundo Cordero, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Sam Skinner, 4 Sean Lonsdale, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (c), 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Jack Innard, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Don Armand, 20 Richard Capstick, 21 Stu Townsend, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Tom Hendrickson

Venue: AJ Bell Stadium
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson, Jamie Leahy
TMO: Ian Tempest