Aviva Premiership Match Preview and Tips: Sale Sharks vs. Wasps
- By Adam Currie on October 2, 2010 01:00 GMT
Sale Sharks play host to Wasps tonight, in what is probably the most evenly contested match up of the weekend.
Sale have been boosted by the return of fly-half Charlie Hodgson, who has most certainly resulted in the bookies shifting the odds.
Former Ulster and Harlequins flanker Neil McMillan also makes his debut for the Sharks, with back row Kiwi- born Chris Brightwell set to follow if he comes off the bench.
Sale Sharks:15 Paul Williams, 14 Tom Brady, 13 Ben Cohen, 12 Andy Tuilagi, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Kristian Ormsby. 7 Neil McMillan, 6 Carl Fearns, 5 James Gaskell (capt.), 4 Nic Rouse, 3 Jack Forster, 2 Neil Briggs, 1 Karena Wihongi.
Wasps: 15 Richard Haughton, 14 Tom Varndell, 13 Ben Jacobs, 12 Dominic Waldouck, 11 David Lemi, 10 Dave Walder, 9 Joe Simpson, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Tom Rees (c), 6 Joe Worsley, 5 Richard Birkett, 4 Dan Ward-Smith, 3 Ben Broster, 2 Joe Ward, 1 Tim Payne.
For Wasps there have been five changes made, with two positional switches to the XV that narrowly missed out on victory last weekend.
Wasps welcome back Richard Haughton, Ben Broster, Ben Jacobs, Andy Powell and captain Tom Rees back into the starting line-up.
In the front row, Phil Vickery has been ruled out because of illness and makes way for Ben Broster.
With Wasps only having won one of their last four matches thus far in the tournament, coupled with the fact that the Sharks have won three of their last four encounters with Wasps suggest that Wasps might be underdogs here tonight.
This should be a tight tussle between two teams that are there and thereabouts, yet never going to go on and win the Premiership title.
Against the bookies all signs point to a win for Sale.
