Harlequins v Sale Sharks: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 07/11/15 4:33pm
Round four of the Aviva Premiership gets underway on Friday night when Harlequins host a Sale Sharks side seeking a third successive victory.
Sale responded to their opening-day hammering at Saracens with victories over Worcester and Northampton, but they have won just once in their last nine Premiership fixtures against Quins.
Loosehead Ross Harrison will make his 100th Sale appearance at the Stoop, while Peter Stringer and Nev Edwards are handed their first starts.
Sam Tuitupou replaces Johnny Leota in midfield with Sam James moving to outside centre.
Harlequins make four changes to the team that were 38-28 winners at Bath last weekend.
Luke Wallace comes in for Jack Clifford in the back row with Chris Robshaw moving to blindside flanker.
Dave Ward starts at hooker and lock Charlie Matthews makes his first start of the season, with Matt Hooper named at inside centre in place of Harry Sloan.
Harlequins will be without Netani Talei for the remainder of the season due to a 'significant knee injury' while No 8 Mat Luamanu will be out of action for 10 weeks after surgery on a pectoral injury.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 George Lowe, 12 Matt Hopper, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care (c); 1 Joe Marler, 2 Dave Ward, 3 Will Collier, 4 Charlie Matthews, 5 Sam Twomey, 6 Chris Robshaw, 7 Luke Wallace, 8 Nick Easter.
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Jack Clifford, 20 James Chisholm, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Ben Botica, 23 Ollie Lindsay-Hague.
Sale: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Tom Arscott, 13 Sam James, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Nev Edwards, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Peter Stringer; 1 Ross Harrison, 2 Tommy Taylor, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 4 Jonathan Mills, 5 Bryn Evans, 6 Dan Braid (c), 7 TJ Ioane, 8 Josh Beaumont.
Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 James Flynn, 18 Brian Mujati, 19 Andrei Ostrikov, 20 Magnus Lund, 21 James Mitchell, 22 Nick Macleod, 23 Johnny Leota.