Sale vs Quins - Friday

[Puja]

Sale: Hammersley; McGuigan, S James, Tuilagi, Yarde; MacGinty, De Klerk; Harrison, Van der Merwe, Oosthuizen, Beaumont (capt), J-L du Preez, Neild, B Curry, D du Preez.

Replacements: Langdon, Rodd, John, J-P du Preez, Ross, Cliff, R du Preez, Van Rensburg.

Harlequins: Green; Morris, Marchant, Tapuai, Beard; Lang, Landajo; Garcia Botta, Gray, Collier, Lamb, Lewies (capt), White, Wallace, Lawday.

Replacements: Elia, Baxter, Kerrod, Cavubati, Tizard, Steele, Edwards, Lynagh.

[Puja]

Is Quirke injured? Not like he's played enough to need resting and I can't see a world in which Cliff is selected over him on merit.

Quins look as though they're waving the white flag on this one to keep their powder dry for the play-offs - no Smith, Care, Earle, Marler. or Dombrandt.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Quins resting a few with the play offs in mind.

Beard is 19. Quite a moment for him to make his first start.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep that's going to be a tough game to get much out of knowing it's near enough an A side. Good to see Lynagh back.

I would have thought we'd save Green and go 15. Morris 14. Earle to get a few more minutes for Earle, but that's about as expected. That team is significantly weaker without Lewies but I thought we might want to keep him fresh as well.

[Puja]

Yep that's going to be a tough game to get much out of knowing it's near enough an A side. Good to see Lynagh back.

I would have thought we'd save Green and go 15. Morris 14. Earle to get a few more minutes for Earle, but that's about as expected. That team is significantly weaker without Lewies but I thought we might want to keep him fresh as well.

Yeah, I was surprised to see Lewies not being rested - I'd've said he's probably one of your most important players. Mind, there's another round and you have already qualified, so maybe the rest of the indispensible first XV in Green, Marchant, and Lewies are gonna get rested then.

Puja

[FKAS]

Tough game to rest a lot of forwards. This could get ugly for Quins.

See why they are doing it. Away game and already qualified for top 4. I'd expect a stronger team for the final game as I guess it'll be at home and use it to generate momentum for the playoffs.

[16th man]

Quins definitely appear to have weighed up 3rd place vs resting front line forwards and come down on the side of the latter.

I would expect Sale to do the same next weekend unless Bristol or Exeter lose this week.

A few injury returnees for Sale this week, who definitely improve the 23 if they can get match sharp in time for the play offs.

[Peej]

Did Manu not make kick off?

[16th man]

One of the Sale back room staff tested positive, and whilst no one else has, theyve seen that Manu was in close proximity to him at some point in training so he's having to isolate.

Must be gutted looking at the ball Sale are getting in midfield.

[16th man]

So utterly unnecessary from Faf.

[fivepointer]

It was utterly moronic.

Predictably Sale has far too much and won very easily. B Curry had a good game, Rodd and Langdon showed up well off the bench.

[Banquo]

So utterly unnecessary from Faf.

what he do?

[Scrumhead]

Nothing that bad, just a ridiculously late shoulder charge on Tapuai. It was to the chest so not overly dangerous, just pointless. I hope he does something similarly dumb against the Lions.

Cam Neild deserved his MoM.

A few years ago, I thought he might go on to bigger things, but he’s still a very useful player to have as your 3rd choice (at best)!