3 years ago
42
ARTICLE AD BOX
Sale hammered Ulster 39-0 at the AJ Bell Stadium six weeks ago| Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday, 21 January Kick-off: 20:00 GMT |
| Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster and the BBC Sport website |
Flanker Harry Sheridan's first start is among seven Ulster changes from the last-gasp defeat by La Rochelle for Saturday's must-win Heineken European Champions Cup home game against Sale.
Sheridan, who made his debut off the bench last weekend, replaces concussed Iain Henderson in the back row.
James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Billy Burns, Andy Warwick, Tom Stewart and Sam Carter also come in for Ulster.
Sale draft in Bevan Rodd, Ewan Ashman, James Harper and Josh Beaumont.
Rodd, Ashman, Harper form an entirely altered Sale front row with lock Beamount's inclusion for the red-carded Cobus Wiese the other change from last weekend's 27-5 home defeat by Toulouse.
Props Rodd and Harper take over from injured Simon McIntyre and Nick Schonert, who were forced off following an accidental clash of heads in the opening seconds of the Toulouse defeat.
Ashman replaces Akker van der Merwe at hooker.
Hume and Ireland Six Nations squad member Stuart McCloskey take over from Stewart Moore and injured Luke Marshall at centre.
Billy Burns returns in place of Ian Madigan at fly-half with Nathan Doak again preferred to John Cooney at scrum-half.
Ulster's other forward changes in addition to Sheridan's inclusion see Andy Warwick and Tom Stewart coming in for Rory Sutherland and Rob Herring in the front row and Sam Carter taking over at lock from Kieran Treadwell.
Sale currently sit ninth in Pool B - one place above Ulster - but a victory for either side could prove enough to squeeze into the knockout stages of the competition although they will also need other results to go their way.
Saturday's match will see Ulster attempting to avenge their 39-0 hammering by Sale at the AJ Bell Stadium six weeks ago, when travel difficulties saw the Irish province arriving in England on the morning of the game.
Both sides have 10 starters from that contest.
Ulster: Lowry; Lyttle, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale; Burns, Doak; Warwick, Stewart, Toomaga-Allen; O'Connor (capt), Carter; Sheridan, Timoney, Vermeulen.
Replacements: Herring, O'Sullivan, O'Toole, Treadwell, Murphy, Cooney, Madigan Moxham.
Sale: Carpenter; O'Flaherty, S James, Tuilagi, Reed; R Du Preez, Warr; Rodd, Ashman, Harper; Beaumont, Hill; Ross, B Curry (capt), JL Du Preez
Replacements: Taylor, Harrison, Jones, Birch, Dugdale, Quirke, Curtis, Roebuck.
English (US) ·