The duel between George Ford and Finn Russell at fly-half is far from the only show in town as Sale and Bath prepare for a significant Friday night in Salford. The meeting of the top two sides in this year’s league will be a test of brawn as much as brain with both teams intent on making their mark physically on the chilliest evening of the season so far.
With the temperature forecast to be only a degree or two above freezing, the pre-game stats reflect the story of two sides for whom domination is the name of the game. No other sides in the country have made more dominant defensive hits in the early rounds and Bath, just two points behind Sale in the table, also lead the way for the most dominant carries.
So while England’s Ford, back after an eventful Rugby World Cup involving matchwinning drop goals and being dropped to the bench, and Scotland’s Russell will both fancy being the more influential tactical ringmaster, much also hinges on Bath’s ability to stand up physically to a host team chasing an 11th consecutive home win. A first start for the all-action Luke Cowan‑Dickie in the Sale front row will make that assignment no easier.
A reshuffled Bath have also chosen to omit the in-form Ollie Lawrence and leave the influential Ben Spencer and Cameron Redpath on the bench, instead favouring a starting midfield of Will Butt and Max Ojomoh outside Russell. GJ van Velze will lead the side from the second row with Ewan Richards at blindside and Chris Cloete returning to the openside flank.
Alex Sanderson, Sale’s director of rugby, is nevertheless expecting a full-on test from a Bath side coached by Johann van Graan which has five South Africans in the pack alone. “They’ve been well coached and well drilled,” says Sanderson. “I thought they were coming into form at the end of last season. They were missing out narrowly towards the back end of games and you could see the quality of the players they’ve recruited. We need to be at the right physical level.”
Sale, the only team with five wins from six rounds this season, are still missing Manu Tuilagi, Raffi Quirke, Jean-Luc du Preez and Luke James, all of whom should be available again within the next fortnight or so, as well as Tom Curry, who requires hip surgery and was ruled out for the season earlier this week
They do, however, welcome back the flying Tom O’Flaherty on the bench, adding to the intense competition on the wings. Arron Reed is the league’s top scorer with five tries while Tom Roebuck continues to impress. In total, the matchday squad features 13 players who have been involved with Sale’s academy.
Harlequins and Northampton, who meet at Franklin’s Gardens, also have a chance of ending the evening in the top three. Northampton, who slipped back to sixth after their defeat to Leicester last weekend, will be without the fly-half Fin Smith, who suffered a back spasm against the Tigers. As a result, George Furbank starts at No 10 alongside Alex Mitchell, while Ethan Waller, Sam Matavesi, Courtney Lawes and Ollie Sleightholme all return. It will be Sleightholme’s first start in a Northampton shirt since February.
Marcus Smith starts at No 10 for fifth-placed Harlequins, who will also be welcoming back Cadan Murley for the first time this season. Murley, who scored 15 tries in 18 matches in the 2022-23 campaign, reclaims his place in the back three, with Tyrone Green shifting to full-back. Dillon Lewis makes his first start for Quins at tighthead while the South African Irné Herbst returns to the starting side to partner George Hammond in the second row.
