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Ben Curry returns to lead Sale Sharks after breakthrough Six Nations
By Josh Raisey
England flanker Ben Curry will captain his Sale Sharks side against Newcastle Falcons on Friday in the Gallagher Premiership, six days after his player of the match performance against Wales in the Guinness Six Nations.
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The 11-cap England international enjoyed an outstanding Championship, launching himself right into British and Irish Lions contention, with starts against Ireland and Wales, and impactful contributions from the bench against France, Scotland and Italy.
The flanker will head straight back into domestic action against bottom-of-the-league Newcastle, but will not be joined by his brother Tom for the trip to Kingston Park. He will, however, play alongside England team-mates in Cardiff, George Ford and Tom Roebuck.
In his only appearance of the Championship, winger Roebuck enjoyed a try-scoring return to the England set-up in Cardiff. Ford, meanwhile, was limited to even less game time in the tournament, only featuring in a brief, but eye-catching, cameo from the bench against Wales.
England squad members Bevan Rodd and Asher Opoku-Fordjour will start either side of the front-row after not featuring at all under Steve Borthwick over the past two months.
Victory for the hosts will reduce the gap between them and Exeter Chiefs at the bottom of the table, while a victory for Sale will keep them in the hunt for the play-offs.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Oli Spencer, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Max Clark, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Murray McCallum, 4 Philip van der Walt, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Cameron Neild, 8 Callum Chick (c)
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Kieran Wilkinson, 23 Louis Brown
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Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rekeiti Ma’asi White, 12 Rob du Preez, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 George Ford 9 Gus Warr, 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Tadgh McElroy, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour 4 Ben Bamber, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 7 Ben Curry (c), 8 JL du Preez
Replacements:?16 Harry Thompson, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Nye Thomas, 22 Sam Bedlow, 23 Arron Reed
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