Investec Champions Cup: Manu Tuilagi starts for Sale against Stade Francais after injury return
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Manu Tuilagi [right] and Joe Marchant [left] formed an effective midfield partnership during the World Cup
Investec Champions Cup: Pool 4- Sale v Stade Francais |
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Venue: AJ Bell Dates: Sunday, 10 December Kick-off: 13:00 BST |
Coverage: Score updates and match report on the BBC Sport website |
Manu Tuilagi returns from injury to start Sale Sharks' Investec Champions Cup game against Stade Francais on Sunday.
Tuilagi, 32, is yet to play for Sale this season but has fully recovered after breaking a hand during the Rugby World Cup.
Head coach Alex Sanderson makes six changes to the side beaten 36-3 by Harlequins at the weekend.
Lock Ben Bamber comes into the side and starts alongside Jonny Hill.
Tuilagi started every game of England's run to a third-place finish in France apart from their 71-0 victory over Chile.
Winger Tom O'Flaherty comes back into the starting XV in place of Arron Reed. Utility back Sam James also comes into the side at outside centre for South African Rob du Preez.
After an impressive cameo against Quins, 19-year-old prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour retains his spot on the bench.
Sale, who are top of the Premiership, failed to get out of their Champions Cup pool last season after back-to-back quarter-finals in their two previous campaigns.
"The intensity will be a step up from where it has been over the past eight weeks - we have lent into the excitement of that," Sanderson told BBC Sport.
Stade Francais have opted against picking England centre Joe Marchant, who joined them after the World Cup and played in their 27-12 win over Toulouse. The French side make 11 changes from that game.
Sale also face last season's two finalists, Leinster and La Rochelle, in their pool, with a January trip to South Africa to face 2022 United Rugby Championship winners DHL Stormers too.
Line-ups
Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, James, Tuilagi, O'Flaherty; Ford, Warr; McIntyre, Taylor, Schonert, Bamber, Hill, Dugdale, B Curry, Du Preez.
Replacements: Creevy, Harrison, Opoku-Fordjour, Wiese, Beaumont, Quirke, Curtis, Doherty.
Stade Francais: Barre; Hamdaoui, Ward, Boudehent, Dakuwaqa; Segonds, Zabalza; Castets, Peyresblanques, Alo-Emile, Azagoh, Van der Mescht, Ory, Chapuis, Hirigoyen.
Replacements: Meite, Abramishvili, Kodela, Gabrillagues, Pesenti, Gimbert, Halaifonua, Etien.
Referee: Mike Adamson