News

Sale Sharks circling new record

September 26 2008

Sale Sharks will set a new Guinness Premiership record if their defence stays intact against Edgeley Park visitors Gloucester on Friday.

Sharks have yet to concede a league try so far this term, and no club in Premiership history has shut out the opposition four matches in succession.

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan makes several changes to the side that beat Harlequins last weekend, which includes starts for full-back Iain Balshaw, prop Alasdair Dickinson and lock Marco Bortolami.

Ryan said: "This is the beginning of an exceptionally intense period for us, and for that reason we have to utilise the strength we have in our squad.

"We are back in the Premiership next Tuesday against Newcastle at Kingsholm, which only gives us a four-day turnaround after tomorrow, before the start of the EDF Energy Cup against Wasps, and then we are into Europe."

Meanwhile, on the other end of the scale, defending champions Wasps will strive to avoid a fourth successive Guinness Premiership defeat - something they have not experienced since the 2001/2002 season - when they tackle unbeaten leaders Leicester at Welford Road.

It will be the first meeting of England's two heavyweight clubs since the Premiership final at Twickenham last May.

Wasps triumphed on that occasion in Lawrence Dallaglio's last appearance for the Londoners before retirement, but the tables have turned barely four months later.

While Leicester target a fourth successive league victory, Wasps have no real idea where the next win is coming from.

And it does not end there. Another Wasps reversal - and a Bristol victory over Newcastle - would potentially leave Dallaglio's former charges bottom of the Premiership.

England fly-half Danny Cipriani's return from an horrific ankle injury cannot come soon enough - he could feature against Bath next Wednesday - but Wasps also head into the East Midlands without suspended back-row star James Haskell.

Leicester though, also have their share of absentees, with Harry Ellis, Dan Hipkiss and Alesana Tuilagi among those injured and currently available.

"We go into the game having not panicked or over-reacted, and we are confident that a win will come if the team maintain focus and look to the challenge ahead," said Wasps assistant coach Leon Holden.