Cameron Redpath's eventful few months... from six-week biting ban to important starting role at Sandy Park

England prospect Cameron Redpath is set for a busy afternoon on Sunday following his selection to start at full-back in Sale’s Heineken Champions Cup trip to Exeter. 

The son of legendary Scottish scrum-half Bryan Redpath has made six starts in various European, Premiership and Premiership Cup games with the Sharks this term, but they all came at centre in either the No13 for No12 shirt. 

Now, though, the 19-year-old (he turns 20 on December 23) has been handed the responsibility of minding the house at full-back in a Sale XV that shows ten changes from the team beaten by the Chiefs in Manchester last Sunday. 

The selection is perhaps another indication that Steve Diamond is beginning to better trust the youngster who has been involved in England training and been a standout player for the English under-20s.

His start to this season had been hampered by the six-week ban for biting he received following an incident with Ireland’s Dylan Tierney-Martin at the World Rugby Under-20s Championship in Argentina.

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Redpath will find himself operating in a Sale back three featuring international pair Denny Solomona and Byron McGuigan.

Diamond has described his selection for Sale’s European visit to Exeter as an illustration of the strength in depth his squad now enjoys.

Fascinating insight on how Steve Diamond approaches Premiership Rugby life in Manchester with Sale https://t.co/ILp1nctTKh

— liam heagney (@heagneyl) September 14, 2019

One area of the team he has refused to alter, though, has been back row as he has opted to start with the same trio from last Sunday – Tom Curry at No6, Ben Curry at No 7 and Jono Ross captaining the side from No8.

EXETER: 15. Stuart Hogg; 14. Jack Nowell, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Sam Hill, 11. Ian Whitten; 10. Joe Simmonds, 9. Nic White; 1. Alec Hepburn, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Harry Williams, 4. Dave Dennis (capt), 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Dave Ewers, 7. Jacques Vermeulen, 8. Sam Simmonds. Reps: 16. Elvis Taione, 17. Ben Moon, 18. Marcus Street, 19. Jannes Kirsten, 20. Don Armand, 21. Jack Maunder, 22. Gareth Steenson, 23. Olly Woodburn.

SALE: 15. Cameron Redpath; 14. Denny Solomona, 13. Sam James, 12. Luke James, 11. Byron McGuigan; 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Will Cliff; 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Curtis Langdon, 3. Jake Cooper-Woolley, 4. Matthew Postlewaite, 5. James Phillips, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Ben Curry, 8. Jono Ross (capt). Reps: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Valery Morozov, 18. Willgriff John, 19. Bryn Evans, 20. Cameron Neild, 21. Fergus Warr, 22. Thomas Curtis, 23. Marland Yarde.

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