Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears team news: Visitors name all-English matchday squad

Sale Sharks and Bristol Bears have named their squads for their final Gallagher Prem match of the season, with both sides all-but on the beach.

Despite winning last weekend, Bristol are unable to reach the Gallagher Prem play-offs this season, while Sale need just a point to guarantee that they will be playing amongst European rugby's elite next season.

Last weekend, the Bears secured an impressive win against defending champions Bath Rugby in the West Country derby, but - due to Exeter's win away at Leicester - are too far behind to mathematically catch fourth place.

Sale have been in freefall for weeks, with their humiliating 45-42 defeat to Newcastle last weekend symptomatic of the season they've had so far, with Alex Sanderson's side still not 100% confirmed a spot in the top eight.

With qualification for the Champions Cup up for grabs, Sale Sharks have named a strong matchday squad.

Nathan Jibulu makes his first start of the season in the front row, joined by James Harper and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, with Ernst van Rhyn and Ben Bamber in behind.

Tom Curry returns to the side - following a head injury - joined in the back row by Sam Dugdale and Seb Kelly.

Raffie Quirke and George Ford start in an all-international half back pairing, with Tom Roebuck - usually a winger - named to start at 13, partering Rekeiti Ma'asi-White in the centres.

Joe Carpenter starts at 15, alongside Tom O'Flaherty and Arron Reed in the back three.

On the other hand, Bristol have named a strange matchday squad for this weekend's fixtures, with Pat Lam naming an all-English squad for the trip up North.

According to their website, the Bears have been hamstrung in team selection for this fixture, needing to name the squad to meet the required seasonal EQP (English Qualified Player) average to satisfy RFU regulations.

The club have pointed to "a series of injuries to senior English-qualified players throughout the campaign" as the reason for the decision, with a number of players named out of position or to make debuts in this match.

Pat Lam's side also pointed to 14 English qualified players unavailable for selection this weekend due to injury, with five academy players named in the starting XV.

Sale Sharks team news

Starting XV: 15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Tom Roebuck, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Arron Reed, 10. George Ford, 9. Raffi Quirke; 1. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2. Nathan Jibulu, 3. James Harper, 4. Ernst van Rhyn (c), 5. Ben Bamber, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Seb Kelly, 8. Tom Curry.

Substitutes: 16. Alfie Longstaff, 17. Ralph McEachran, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Reuben Logan, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Luke James, 23. Alex Wills.

Bristol Bears team news

Starting XV: 15. Rich Lane, 14. Noah Heward, 13. Jack Bates, 12. Joe Jenkins, 11. Aidan Boshoff, 10. Sam Worsley, 9. Harry Randall (c); 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Tomas Gwilliam, 3. Max Lahiff, 4. James Dun, 5. George Taylor, 6. Joe Owen, 7. Harry Thacker, 8. Joe Batley.

Substitutes: 16.⁠ ⁠Kieran Hill, 17.⁠ ⁠⁠Sam Grahamslaw, 18.⁠ ⁠⁠Lovejoy Chawatama, 19.⁠ ⁠⁠Jimmy Halliwell, 20.⁠ ⁠⁠Kenzie Jenkins, 21.⁠ ⁠⁠Sam Wolstenholme, 22.⁠ ⁠⁠Max Pepper, 23.⁠ ⁠⁠Ollie Harris.