McElroy to start on debut for Sale

Luke James starts a Sharks game for the first time since the 2022/23 season while new signing Tadgh McElroy makes his Sale debut as Alex Sanderson makes seven changes to his team for the trip to The Rec on Saturday (KO 3.05pm, live on TNT Sports 1). 

Elsewhere, Will Addison and Scotland winger Arron Reed return to face Bath after missing the defeat at Northampton and JL du Preez is fit again after a head injury. 

The Sharks front-row shows two changes from last week’s defeat as James Harper comes in at tighthead in place of Asher Opoku-Fordjour. He’ll line up alongside Si McIntyre and former Saracens and Leinster hooker McElroy. 

Ben Bamber and Hyron Andrews pair up in a towering second-row, while Ernst van Rhyn, Sam Dugdale and number 8 Dan du Preez form a combative back-row. 

In the backs Gus Warr starts once again at scrum-half alongside skipper Rob du Preez at fly-half, while in the centres, Sam Bedlow starts alongside the returning Luke James.  

Reed and Addison return on the wings with Joe Carpenter starting once again at full-back. 

Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and Opoku-Fordjour cover the front row from the replacements bench with Le Roux Roets, Josh Beaumont and JL du Preez covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas and Tom Curtis are the replacement backs. 

Sale Sharks Starting XV: 

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Will Addison, 13. Luke James, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez ©, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Tadgh McElroy, 3. James Harper, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Dan du Preez. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19. Le Roux Roets, 20. Josh Beaumont, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. JL du Preez.