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Sale and Exeter name teams for top-table clash featuring first start for Cuthbert since November

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Sale have made just one change to their 23 for Friday evening’s visit to Manchester by Premiership leaders Exeter, who include Alex Cuthbert in their starting line-up for the first time since last November.  

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Sam James has returned to the Sharks squad at outside centre, with Manu Tuilagi deployed at inside centre for the top-table clash at the AJ Bell Stadium. Sam Hill, the former Exeter centre, steps out of the team that lost last weekend at Harlequins. 

Sale boss Steve Diamond said: “Exeter have an extremely powerful game and they showed at the weekend that when they can’t score from their usual pick and go, they have class in their backs to do the damage out wide. 

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“They are without a doubt the best team in the competition and have been in the top two for the last four to five years, it’s where everyone wants to be. We have trained well this week after a disappointing night at The Stoop. Our discipline let us down against Harlequins and we didn’t really get to fire a shot.” 

Team news for the Chiefs sees Rob Baxter stick with a largely unchanged starting line-up following their restart win at home over Leicester. An ankle injury to centre Ollie Devoto means the England international misses out this time round, so Ian Whitten is promoted from the bench to fill the midfield void.

Winger Cuthbert also returns to the starting line-up for the first time in nine months. The Welsh international has now fully recovered from shoulder surgery and replaces Tom O’Flaherty. Up front, changes see Ben Moon start at loosehead in place of Alec Hepburn while Jacques Vermeulen replaces compatriot Jannes Kirsten in the back row.

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Kirsten drops to the bench in place of Don Armand, Billy Keast is added as the back-up at prop while Tom Hendrickson comes into the void left by Whitten.

“We’re all expecting a better Sale performance this week,” said Baxter. “But, as I said to the lads after the game on Saturday, we should expect every team to be better this week. I know we will be better and you have to kind of expect the same from others. What we have to make sure is that our level of improvement overtakes that of other teams.

“Right now, the reality is that there is a lot of games coming up and a compact table. We could go from feeling pretty good about the points we got last weekend to all of a sudden losing two games to our closest rivals, then going into a game where there will be a bit of pressure on us.”

SALE SHARKS: 15. Simon Hammersley; 14. Byron McGuigan, 13. Sam James, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Marland Yarde; 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Faf de Klerk; 1. Coenie Oosthuizen, 2. Akker van der Merwe, 3. Will-Griff John, 4. Jean-Luc du Preez, 5. Lood de Jager, 6. Jono Ross (capt) 7. Tom Curry, 8. Daniel du Preez. Reps: 16. Curtis Langdon, 17. Ross Harrison, 18. Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19. James Phillips, 20. Ben Curry, 21. Will Cliff, 22. AJ MacGinty, 23. Denny Solomona.

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EXETER CHIEFS: 15. Stuart Hogg; 14. Alex Cuthbert, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Ian Whitten, 11. Olly Woodburn; 10. Joe Simmonds (capt), 9. Jack Maunder; 1. Ben Moon, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Harry Williams, 4. Jonny Gray, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Dave Ewers, 7. Jacques Vermeulen, 8. Sam Simmonds. Reps: 16. Jack Yeandle, 17. Billy Keast, 18. Tomas Francis, 19. Sam Skinner, 20. Jannes Kirsten, 21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22. Gareth Steenson, 23. Tom Hendrickson.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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