Team news and stats ahead of the Sale game
Back as skipper
By Duncan Wood
December 27 2002
Peter Thorburn makes multiple changes after the cup exit at the hands of Rotherham last weekend. The lineup has a more familiar look to it and the absentees will have benefitted from the week off.
Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns
Fri 01 Nov at Heywood Road - KO 19:45
Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership
Played 16
Sharks Won 8 - 50%
Bristol Shoguns Won 8 - 50%
Biggest Win for Sharks, 76 - 0, 09 Nov 1997
Biggest Win for Bristol Shoguns, 37 - 3, 24 Oct 1987
Sharks top try scorer vs Bristol Shoguns, Jim Mallinder, 5 tries
Sharks top points scorer vs Bristol Shoguns, Charlie Hodgson, 52
points
Bristol Shoguns top try scorer vs Sharks, David Tiueti, 5 tries
Bristol Shoguns top points scorer vs Sharks, Mark Tainton, 51
points
| Date | Result | Result | Venue |
| 01 Nov 2002 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 28 - 14 | Heywood Road |
| 13 Apr 2002 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 53 - 47 | Heywood Road |
| 02 Sep 2001 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 35 - 25 | Memorial Stadium |
| 23 Dec 2000 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 25 - 26 | Heywood Road |
| 06 Sep 2000 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 36 - 13 | Memorial Stadium |
| 08 Mar 2000 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 16 - 35 | Memorial Stadium |
| 13 Nov 1999 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 15 - 40 | Heywood Road |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 25 - 15 | Memorial Stadium |
| 09 Nov 1997 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 76 - 0 | Heywood Road |
| 22 Mar 1997 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 24 - 34 | Memorial Stadium |
| 28 Sep 1996 | Sharks vs Bristol Shoguns | 31 - 33 | Heywood Road |
Bristol Shoguns v Sharks
· Bristol are unbeaten in their last four games and have not had a longer unbeaten run in the top flight since 1996.
· Sharks have had three successive Premiership wins - all with maximum points.
·Sale have won their last three Premiership clashes with Bristol, including a 28-14 win at Heywood Road on Friday 1 November.
· Garath Archer has played in 99 Premiership matches for Newcastle and Bristol combined, whilst Felipe Contepomi has accumulated 499 Premiership points (including 99 penalty goals) for Bristol in just 35 appearances.
Team news
Bristol head coach, Peter Thorburn, attracted much criticism last weekend for his team selection against Rotherham. He has responded in the press by explaining the injury situation that forced his hand but is able to bring bck his big guns this weekend.
In the pack, only Sheridan, White, Oakley and Beattie retain their places. In the backs, only Brendon Daniel and Lee Best retain theirs.
It's a lineup that Thorburn hopes will be able to handle an impressive Sharks lineup. The Sharks keep an unchanged sqaud from last weekend and Bristol supporters will be hoping that the weekend off for most of their players will make a difference.
Bristol team:
Andrew Sheridan, Paul Johnstone, Julian White, Garath Archer (c), Alex Brown, Matt Salter, Rhys Oakley, Ross Beattie, Agustin Pichot, Felipe Contepomi, Phil Christophers, Daryl Gibson, Andrew Higgins, Brendon Daniel, Lee Best
Replacements bench to be confirmed.
Sharks squad:
Jason Robinson, Vaughan Going, Mark Cueto, Steve Hanley, Dan Harris, Graeme Bond, Nick Walshe, Charlie Hodgson, Bryan Redpath, Kevin Yates, Jim Thorp, Barry Stewart, Stuart Turner, Charl Marais, Johnny Roddam, Iain Fullarton, Chris Jones, Alex Sanderson, Phil Davies, Pete Anglesea, Stuart Pinkerton, Richard Wilks.
Bristol will have to work hard to stop the dangerous Sharks backs getting space out wide and they'll have to do so legally as Charlie Hodgson is now back at outside half and will kick most chances.
The pundits reckon a Sharks win is in the offing.
Let's hope that a big Brisotl crowd can roar their team onto victory.