Sunday's Aviva Premiership Team News - Sale v Bath, London Irish v Newcastle Falcons - Ruck

Sunday’s Aviva Premiership Team News – Sale v Bath, London Irish v Newcastle Falcons

Here’s all the team news for Sunday’s Premiership clashes, as Sale host Bath and London Irish travel to Newcastle Falcons.

Sale Sharks vs Bath (2.30pm)
Sale have named their side to take on Bath at the AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday, as they look to bounce back from their loss to Montpellier.

Steve Diamond has opted to make four changes to the side that lost to Montpellier. Sam Tuitupou returns to captain the Sharks at inside centre, with Will Addison, Eifion Lewis Roberts and Mark Easter also returning to the team.

Meanwhile, George Ford will captain Bath in this Sunday’s Premiership meeting.

Scrum-half Chris Cook will make his 70th club appearance, partnered by Ford. Ollie Devoto and Jonathan Joseph are at 12 and 13 respectively.

Rhys Priestland wears the number 15 jersey for the first time this season, backed by the double threat of Matt Banahan and Semesa Rokoduguni on the wings.

Nathan Catt, Rob Webber and Henry Thomas start in the front row, with Dave Attwood and Dominic Day powering the scrum from the second-row. Matt Garvey is at six, and openside Guy Mercer and number eight Leroy Houston complete the back-row.

Sale: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Will Addison, 13 Sam James, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Nev Edwards, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Mark Easter, 7 TJ Ioane, 6 Cameron Neild, 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Eifion Lewis-Roberts
Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Brian Mujati, 19 Jonathan Mills, 20 David Seymour, 21 James Mitchell, 22 Joe Ford, 23 Tom Brady
Bath: 15 Rhys Priestland, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 George Ford (c), 9 Chris Cook, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Guy Mercer, 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dave Attwood, 4 Dominic Day, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Nathan Catt
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 David Wilson, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 David Denton, 21 Amanaki Mafi, 22 Will Homer, 23 Kyle Eastmond

Newcastle Falcons vs London Irish (3pm kick-off)
Argentinian centre Gonzalo Tiesi will make his first appearance of the season for Newcastle Falcons after injury, as one of four changes to face Irish.

He links up with compatriot Juan Pablo Socino, Alex Tait moves to wing with Simon Hammersley in at full-back, while Sean Robinson comes into the pack.



Meanwhile, for London Irish, Alex Lewington returns to the wing for Sunday’s crunch match.

The London Irish flyer has missed his side’s last three games in all competitions through injury, and his inclusion in the starting XV is a welcome boost for the Exiles going into the contest.

Lewington is one of two changes to the side that locked horns with Sale Sharks in the Exiles’ last Premiership outing earlier this month, the other being Jebb Sinclair getting the nod in the back-row alongside openside flanker Blair Cowan.

Newcastle: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Alex Tait, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Marcus Watson, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Michael Young, 8 Nili Latu, 7 Will Welch (c), 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Sean Robinson, 4 Calum Green, 3 Taione Vea, 2 George McGuigan, 1 Rob Vickers
Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Alex Rogers, 18 Mike Cusack, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Ally Hogg, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Craig Willis, 23 Chris Harris
London Irish: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Andrew Fenby, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Scott Steele, 8 Luke Narraway (c), 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Jebb Sinclair, 5 Matt Symons, 4 Will Lloyd, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 David Paice, 1 Tom Court
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Tom Smallbone, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Jerry Sexton, 20 Ofisa Treviranus, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Shane Geraghty, 23 Aseli Tikoirotuma