Challenge Cup: Sale Sharks v Dragons
By Rob Mulhern
Last Updated: 21/01/16 7:26pm
Sale Sharks and Newport Gwent Dragons clash in a winner-takes-all European Challenge Cup Pool 2 contest on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports.
The Dragons lead the group, two points ahead of the Sharks with a quarter-final place on the line.
But Sale kept their qualification hopes alive with a last-round 27-3 victory over Pau and they can also secure that home quarter-final berth.
"It will be a big game against the Dragons where we'll be aiming to get that victory to take us to a home quarter-final," said Sale coach Steve Diamond.
The Sharks have made four changes to the side with Peter Stringer, Sam James, Eifion Lewis-Roberts and Brian Mujati coming in.
For the Dragons, captain T Rhys Thomas returns at hooker after being cleared of biting an opponent. He is the only change to the Dragons' starting line-up from the 31-18 defeat of Castres.
The Welsh region have already qualified for the quarter-finals but both teams will be desperate to win the pool and secure a home draw in the knockout stages.
Dragons beat Sharks 30-12 when the sides met in November.
Sale Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Will Addison, 13 Sam James, 12 Johnny Leota, 11 Nev Edwards, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Peter Stringer, 1 Eifion Lewis Roberts, 2 Tommy Taylor, 4 Brian Mujati, 4 Bryn Evans, 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 6 Cameron Neild, 7 Magnus Lund, 8 Josh Beaumont (c).
Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Vadim Cobilas, 19 Jonathan Mills, 20 Mark Easter, 21 James Mitchell, 22 Joe Ford, 23 Mark Jennings.
Dragons: 15 Carl Meyer, 14 Ashton Hewitt, 13 Adam Hughes, 12 Adam Warren, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 1 Phil Price, 2 Thomas Rhys Thomas (c), 3 Brok Harris, 4 Cory Hill, 5 Rynard Landman, 6 Lewis Evans, 7 Nic Cudd, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Boris Stankovich, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Matthew Screech, 20 Ed Jackson, 21 Charlie Davies, 22 Angus O'Brien, 23 Nick Scott.
Watch Sale v Dragons live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7pm on Thursday.