Son Of Hill to Start at Fly-half

Richard Hill makes three changes from the side beaten at Newcastle last Friday. David ‘Son Of’ Hill moves from centre to start his first game at fly half. Sam Cox returns to the inside centre berth to partner Rob Higgitt. The other change sees openside Joe El Abd make his first start since making a rapid recovery from his ankle injury. The large moving house that is Alfie To'oala transfers to the bench.

Otherwise the starting XV are unchanged, whereas there are adjustments to the replacements bench: Jason Hobson is in for Wayne Thompson and the former Otago Highlander Neil Brew is in line to play, having pitched up early.

Sale’s only defeat in the Guinness Premiership in their last ten outings was 23-35 at Leicester on 3 September but Sale have lost on their last two visits to Bristol and have not won at Memorial Stadium since a 25-35 victory on 2 September 2001.

Bristol Rugby :

Craig Morgan, Lee Robinson, Rob Higgitt, Sam Cox, David Lemi, David Hill, Brian O'Riordan, Dave Hilton, Mark Regan, Darren Crompton, Roy Winters, Gareth Llewellyn, Nathan Budgett, Joe El Abd, Dan Ward-Smith

Replacements:

David Blaney, Jason Hobson, Mariano Sambucetti, Alfie To'oala, Greg Nicholls, Neil Brew, Jason Strange

Sale :

Jason Robinson, Ben Foden, Mark Taylor, Chris Bell, Steve Hanley, Daniel Larrechea, Sililo Martens, Eiffion Lewis Roberts, Sebastien Bruno, Barry Stewart, Sean Cox, Dean Schofield, Nathan Bonner Evans, Chris Jones, Sebastien Chabal,

Replacements:

Ben Evans, Andy Titterrell, Chris Day, Ben Lloyd/Michael Hills, Richard Wigglesworth, Lee Thomas/David Blair, Chris Mayor