Sale currently lie 5th in the Zurich Premiership, one place and one point above NEC Harlequins. Coached by ex Sale players Jim Mallinder and Steve Diamond, like many teams this weekend they are missing three players who will be in action for either England or the New Zealand Barbarians this Saturday at Twickenham.

The Sale players involved are full back Jason Robinson, loose head prop Andrew Sheridan and hooker Andy Titterall. In addition Sale also have a number of players who may be missing from Friday's game due to injury such as Fly half Charlie Hodgson, Scrum Half Brian Redpath, and back rows Alex Sanderson and Stuart Pinkerton.

For NEC Harlequins there is a return to Premiership action for both George Harder and England World Cup winner Will Greenwood, although on the negative side Ugo Monye has returned from his England sevens jaunt in South Africa with lower back and hamstring problems and he will therefore miss out on the trip to Stockport. In addition to Will Greenwood, Quins will have England legend Jason Leonard on the bench replacing fellow England prop Mike Worsley who is still suffering from a back injury.

Paul Burke's rib injury sees Andy Dunne continue at fly half, and with Ben Willis away with the New Zealand Barbarians and Simon Keogh covering for Ugo on the wing, Scott Bemand makes his first start in the Premiership this season at Scrum half. On the bench Adrian Jarvis will cove fly half for the first time.