European Champions Cup: Sale v Edinburgh (Sat)

JP Du Preez's arrival helps cover injuries to fellow second rows Lood de Jager and Josh Beaumont

New second-row signing JP du Preez will make his debut as Sale attempt to keep their Heineken Champions Cup campaign alive at home to Edinburgh.

Du Preez, who arrived from Pro 14 side Cheetahs last month, is joined in the starting XV by fellow South African Faf de Klerk.

Edinburgh rest Scotland internationals James Ritchie and Darcy Graham.

Their absence gives back row Magnus Bradbury and wing Jack Blain a chance to impress from the start.

Scrum-half Charlie Shiel comes in for Henry Pyrgos.

There are also changes in the visiting front row where props Rory Sutherland and Simon Berghan come in for Pierre Schoeman and WP Nel.

Sale's half-back pairing is completed by another South African as Robert du Preez teams up with countryman De Klerk for the first time this season.

Denny Solomona and Sam James come in to a back three that also includes Marland Yarde.

England's Tom Curry is going through a period of compulsory rest after international duty and misses out on a back-row battle against Bradbury, Magnus Watson and Viliame Mata.

Both teams lost their opening games in the tournament last week, with the Sharks coming unstuck away to Toulon and Edinburgh losing out at home to Top 14 leaders La Rochelle.

Sale head coach Paul Deacon: "We scored some nice tries against Toulon, which was pleasing. Nobody here likes to lose but if we keep on the right track performance-wise then the results will follow."

"Every game matters to us, we won't be throwing the towel in, we want to win, especially at home this weekend."

Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill: "The format and quality of this season's tournament means it's incredibly difficult to qualify for the knockout rounds.

"We were good in parts against a very good La Rochelle side last weekend, but we'll need to be better against Sale tomorrow.

"We're going to need our best performance of the season."

Sale: S James; Solomona, J.V Rensburg, S Hill, Yarde; R Du Preez, De Klerk (c); Rodd, Van der Merwe, Cooper-Woolley, Postlethwaite, J.P Du Preez, Wiese, Dugdale, J-L du Preez.

Replacements: Langdon, Harrison, Oosthuizen, Phillips, Neild, Cliff, Doherty, L James.

Edinburgh: Kinghorn, Blain, Bennett, Dean, Van Der Merwe, Van Der Walt, Shiel, Sutherland, McInally, Berghan, Toolis, Hodgson, Bradbury, Watson, Mata.

Replacements: Cherry, Schoeman, Nel, Ferreira, Crosbie, Groom, Chamberlain, Johnstone