Premiership
TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v DHL Stormers
England under 20s winger Alex Wills makes his first Investec Champions Cup appearance while Telusa Veainu, Ben Bamber and Josh Beaumont will also start for Your Sharks against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday (5.30pm UK time, LIVE on TNT Sports).
Elsewhere Agustin Creevy gets the nod to start at hooker and Sam Bedlow returns after missing the defeat against Bristol to take his place at inside centre.
In the front-row, Argentine veteran Creevy, who scored in the Salford Stadium defeat against Pat Lam’s men, starts between props Ross Harrison and James Harper.
Bamber starts with Jonny Hill in the second-row and they’ll have an all homegrown back-row behind them, with Sam Dugdale and captain Ben Curry joined by Josh Beaumont at number 8.
In the backs, Gus Warr and Rob du Preez start together again at half-back, and they’ll have the two Sams – Bedlow and James – outside them in the centres.
Al has picked a back three full of youth and experience with Wills and Arron Reed starting either side of former Leicester full-back Veainu.
On the bench, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tumy Onasanya and Asher Opoku-Fordjour are the front-row replacements, while Rouban Birch and Tommy Taylor will cover the rest of the forwards.
Academy trio Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Rekeiti Ma’asi-White are the replacement backs.
Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Telusa Veainu, 14. Alex Wills, 13. Sam James, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Agustin Creevy, 3. James Harper 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Josh Beaumont.
Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19. Rouban Birch, 20. Tommy Taylor, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Sale Sharks have agreed a deal to sign Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu from French Top14 side Toulon.
The explosive centre, who starred for his country during the recent World Cup, has signed a one-year contract with an option for a further year.
He will join up with Alex Sanderson’s Sharks squad ahead of the start of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season.
Waisea, 33, said: “I’ve watched the Premiership for a long time and it’s always been in the back of my mind that I would love to play there one day and experience rugby in England.
“Now that opportunity has arrived and I’m really, really happy and grateful. I’m so excited to get over there and join the boys and see how I can contribute to the team.
“I have spoken to Telusa Veainu and he only has positive things to say about the club and about Manchester.
“I’m looking forward to playing with some of the guys I’ve played against, like Tom Curry and George Ford. But I also know there are a lot of really talented young players in the Sale Sharks squad and I’m excited to share my experience and help them develop as much as I can.
“I told Alex that it’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years of my career and it’s something I’m passionate about.”
Nayacalevu, who stands at 6’4” and weighs in at 16st 7lb, spent ten years at Top14 side Stade Français before making the switch to Toulon in 2022.
He has won 34 caps for Fiji, slotting in at both centre and on the wing, and captained his country at last year’s World Cup, where the Pacific Islanders made the quarter-finals, losing 30-24 to England in Marseille.
He also famously scored for Fiji in their memorable pre-World Cup win against England at Twickenham.
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Phil Brantingham to join Saracens
Prop-forward Phil Brantingham will leave Newcastle Falcons in the summer to join Saracens.
The 22-year-old has played 25 games for his home town club, and leaves with the thanks and best wishes of everyone at the Falcons.
Chairman of rugby Matt Thompson said: “Phil has done well for us and we made him a good offer to stay here.
“We respect his decision and wish him all the best for his move in the summer, but between now and then he will be fully committed to finishing the season strongly for Newcastle Falcons.”
Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby
Sale Sharks can confirm that forward Cobus Wiese will leave the club at the end of the season to return to South Africa.
The 26-year-old lock has played almost 80 games for the club and scored five tries since joining from the DHL Stormers ahead of the 2020/21 season.
He played a key role last year as Sale reached the Premiership final, and this season he has featured a further 13 times for Alex Sanderson’s side.
Alex said: “Cobus will be missed by all of us on so many levels. He’s the most polite and courteous of people off the field, but the most wildly excitable man on the field, and on a night out.
“To say Cobus wears his heart on his sleeve is to do him a disservice with regards to his emotional commitment for which his body has paid the price on occasion.
“He leads by example and has earnt the respect and adoration of the group both on a professional and a personal level. We wish him every success and happiness with his move back home.”
Everyone at Sale Sharks would like to thank Cobus for his contribution to the club and the team during his time here and we wish him all the very best for the future.
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