TEAM NEWS | BRISTOL BEARS V SALE SHARKS | Sale Sharks

Tom Curry and Tom O’Flaherty return to the Sharks side to face Pat Lam’s high-flying Bears as Alex Sanderson makes two changes to his starting XV following the round 8 win against Exeter Chiefs on Saturday. 

That means England scrum-half Raffi Quirke starts once again, while forward Jean-Luc du Preez drops to the bench for the Ashton Gate showdown (live on TNT Sports, Friday 27th December, 7.45pm KO). 

England internationals Bevan Rodd, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Asher Opoku-Fordjour team up once again in a powerful Sharks front-row, with Ernst van Rhyn and Jonny Hill combining for the second game consecutive game in the second-row. 

In the back-row, Ben Curry captains the side again from openside, and he’ll be joined by twin brother Tom at blindside flanker and Dan du Preez at number 8. 

Quirke and last week’s player of the match George Ford start again at half-back and after impressing once more in the win against Exeter, Luke James and Rob du Preez go again in the centres.  

In the back-three, O’Flaherty and Tom Roebuck start on the wings and, fresh from a try-scoring performance against the Chiefs, Joe Carpenter starts at full-back. 

Ethan Caine, Si McIntyre and WillGriff John will cover the front row from the replacements bench, with Josh Beaumont, Sam Dugdale and JL du Preez the other forwards making up a 6-2 bench split. 

Gus Warr and former Bristol star Sam Bedlow are the backs replacements.  

Sale Sharks Starting XV:   

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Luke James, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Raffi Quirke, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Dan du Preez.   

Replacements:   

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. JL du Preez, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Sam Dugdale.