Sale v Northampton: Teams
Sale have named a full-strength team for their final regular season clash with Northampton.
Last Updated: 24/04/09 3:00pm
Sale Sharks have named a full-strength team for their final regular season clash with Northampton at Edgeley Park on Saturday.
Fresh from defeating Harlequins last weekend director of rugby Kingsley Jones has recalled Richard Wigglesworth for Dwayne Peel at scrum-half.
"This is going to be a massive team effort and everyone will play a part in the game," he said.
"Northampton are a good side and we need to respect them but we also need to aim to get maximum points and then see what happens. Several players are playing their last game at Edgeley Park and want to sign off with a win."
The Sharks are in good form having won two of their last three games in the Guinness Premiership, and have won eight of their last nine encounters in all competitions at Edgeley Park.
But Northampton won 38-3 at Franklin's Gardens when the two teams met in March and are going for a first season's double over the Sharks since 1999/2000.
The Saints have never won in four previous visits to Edgeley Park, though, although they did share a thrilling 37-37 draw in the north west in September 2003.
Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder wants his Saints to finish their season on a high.
The Saints travel to Sale Sharks looking to secure seventh place - and a possible Heineken Cup spot - in their first campaign back in the top flight, with Mallinder looking for the team to continue their recent run of positive results.
"Over the past few weeks we have played well and I want this to continue tomorrow afternoon," Mallinder said on Friday.
"While we have made changes everyone has earned their selection with strong performances either for the first team or for the Wanderers, who have also been playing well over the past few weeks.
"It has been a long campaign but also an enjoyable season. And while we have a Challenge Cup semi-final to come in a week's time we are most certainly focused on what will be a difficult game at Sale.
"They had a good win last time out and need five points to be in with a chance of the play-offs. It should be an exciting game!"
Saints have put together a run of three successive victories over Gloucester, Connacht and London Irish, but away from home they have won just one of their last four matches - 22-12 at Worcester on March 7.
Sale Sharks: 15 Nick Macleod, 14 Mark Cueto, 13 Mathew Tait, 12 Andy Tuilagi, 11 Oriol Ripol, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 JM Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Neil Briggs, 6 Chris Jones, 5 Dean Schofield, 4 Sebastien Chabal, 3 Eifion Roberts, 2 Sebastien Bruno, 1 Lionel Faure.
Replacements: 16 Stuart Turner, 17 Andrew Sheridan, 18 Jason White, 19 David Tait, 20 Dwayne Peel, 21 Rudi Keil, 22 Selorm Kuadey.
Northampton: 15 Chris Ashton, 14 Paul Diggin, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 Jon Clarke, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Ben Foden, 8 Mark Easter, 7 Scott Gray, 6 Neil Best, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe (c), 3 Barry Stewart, 2 Brett Sharman, 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Tom Smith, 18 Christian Day, 19 Mark Hopley, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Barry Everitt, 22 Chris Mayor.