Landmark match for skipper Schofield
Sale Sharks’ captain Dean Schofield will be making his 150th Premiership appearance when he leads his team out at Headingley on Sunday afternoon to face Leeds Carnegie.
Schofield, 30, will have alongside him in the second row James Gaskell, eleven years his junior, who will be playing in his eighth League game. Richard Wigglesworth starts at scrumhalf, following his midweek release from England training, and Chris Bell returns after a three-game absence, to face his former club.
Sharks’ Director of Rugby Kingsley Jones was unable to consider thirteen players, due to injury, illness or international duty.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s game, Kingsley said: “Preparation has been very good. It’s been a long week, everyone has worked hard and we have covered a lot.
:This will be a big game for both teams, and we have the utmost respect for Leeds Carnegie. We need to back up Guinness Premiership wins, and also achieve our first away victory of the season.”
Leeds Carnegie lost that game 27-3 however they fielded a side of Academy players and squad members whilst the majority of the squad were rested.
Leeds’ coaching duo of Neil Back and Andy Key meanwhile have made 14 changes to the side that lost to Sale Sharks last Friday in the LV= Cup for the return match between the side’s this Sunday in the Guinness Premiership at Headingley Carnegie.
The only survivor from last weeks game is 27-year-old tight head prop Pete Bucknall who will make his Guinness Premiership debut for the club having recovered from knee reconstruction last season.
The teams:
Leeds: 15 Leigh Hinton, 14 Richard Welding, 13 Seru Rabeni, 12 Scot Barrow, 11 Lee Blackett, 10 Ceiron Thomas, 9 Andy Gomarsal, 8 Alfie To’oala, 7 Hendre Fourie, 6 Kearnan Myall, 5 Marco Wentzel (captain), 4 Erik Lund, 3 Peter Bucknall, 2 Vili Ma’asi, 1 Gareth Hardy.
Replacements: 16 Rob Rawlinson, 17 Tommy McGee, 18 Phil Swainston, 19 Jon Pendlebury, 20 Calum Clark, 21 Scott Mathie, 22 Henry Paul, 23 Jonny Hepworth.
Sale Sharks: 15 Nick Macleod, 14 Ben Cohen, 13 Chris Bell, 12 Lee Thomas, 11 Marika Vakacegu; 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 8 Sisaro Koyamaibole. 7 David Seymour, 6 Kristian Ormsby, 5 James Gaskell, 4 Dean Schofield (captain), 3 Jack Forster, 2 Marc Jones, 1 Eifion Roberts,
Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Gavin Kerr, 18 Rob O’Donnell, 19 Sean Cox, 20 Carl Fearns, 21 Chris Leck, 22 David Bishop, 23 Ed Styles.
Date: Sunday, November 22
Venue: Headingley
Kick-off: 15.00 GMT
Referee: Chris White
Assistant referees: Bob Mullis, Alan Hughes
TMO: Andrew Turner
