SALE AWAY

Sarries take on Sale Sharks in the annual “Enya Cup” on Friday night. Sale are of course managed by former Sarries favourite Alex Sanderson. Sarries prevailed in the “reverse” fixture at the end of November 25-14 during the Autumn International window. Sale lost Byron McGuigan to a red card just after half time following a rather unpleasant assault on Nick Tompkins. Sarries, as is often their wont, lost their way when facing 14 men and didn’t deliver the expected bonus point try, allowing Sale to score through the impressive Raffi Quirk.

So what will the reverse fixture deliver? The A J Bell has been a pretty secure fortress in the Premiership for Sale over the past year with only Exeter coming away with the points. Sale have also been doing a bit of an “oirish” with 2 draws in their last 4 games. Sarries have had 3 wins since losing to Irish away in February. Apparently the last 5 games between the 2 sides have been won by the home team. Sarries don’t do overly well on Friday nights winning only 2 of their last 6 games. Interestingly Sarries (with a variety of goal kickers) have the highest success rate in the league (100/124 = 81%) whereas Sale have the lowest (60/94 = 64%)  Sarries retain 2^nd place while Sharks are in 5^th with their play-off hopes still very much alive. So all to play for then!

Owing to the fact that your reporter forgot the teams would be announced on Thursday, we already know who will be on show! Sale, like Bristol last Saturday, have left some of their strength on the bench with Manu Tuilagi and Raffi Quirke lying in wait for tiring legs. Sale have a strong and experienced pack with Bevan Rodd, Ewan Ashman and Coenie Oosthuizen packing down opposite Eroni Mawi (who gets the nod over Baz), Jamie George (who captains the side) and Vincent Koch (who was immense in the reverse fixture). Sale also have an all Saffer 2^nd row in Cobus Wiese and Lood de Jager with Jono Ross, Ben Curry and Daniel du Preez in the back row. Sarries have switched Maro Itoje to blindside flanker with Tim Swinson and Nick Isiekwe at lock. Maro is joined in the back row by Ben Earl & Billy Vunipola.

Faf de Klerk is now fit again and starts at scrum half, although he has yet to regain the form which made him world player of the year - let’s hope this isn’t the game he finds it! A J MacGinty is absent again so Rob du Preez wears the 10 shirt. Aled Davies is once again the Sarries 9 and Alex Goode reverts to outside half (apparently Faz is still a bit groggy from last Saturday). In the backs, Simon Hammersley and naughty boy McGuigan are absent , replaced by Luke James & Tom Roebuck with Sam James, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Arron Reed making up the rest. Sarries have a strong back line with Elliot Daly at fullback, Sean Maitland and Max Malins on the wings and Nick Tompkins and Alex Lozowski in the centres. No rest then for the wicked (presumably the likes of Nick, Jamie and Maro will get a break next week for the trip to Brive).

Hard to call this one – Sale’s home advantage will come into play no doubt. The weather looks OK for tomorrow evening up north – chilly but a gentle breeze and a 25% risk of rain. Nick Tompkins is expecting a physical game but feels the team will be more cohesive than last weekend.  Sarries will definitely need to up their game from Saturday if they are to prevail – something that should be possible however the AJ Bell isn’t an easy place to go and win. I think this one will be close and a lot will probably rest on the bench: good to see Alec Clarey is back along with Tom Woolstencroft and Baz in the front row, and Theo and Andy Christie (unlucky – I thought he made a big difference last week) making up the other forwards. Ruben de Haas stands by for Davies (I assume he’ll only come on if the game is well and truly decided with 10 minutes to go), along with Duncan Taylor and the newly married Alex Lewington. So a stronger bench than we have seen in recent times! I’m going for a Sarries win, but only just and I wouldn’t bet on it.

The referee is Luke Pearce assisted by Hamish Smales & Paul Tix. Stuart Terheege is the TMO.