London Irish v Sale Sharks: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 12/04/15 2:11pm
London Irish host Sale Sharks on Sunday seeking back-to-back Aviva Premiership wins for the first time since February 2014.
The Exiles have won three of their last four league games at the Madejski Stadium and Glenn Delaney makes four changes to the team that narrowly lost to Edinburgh in the European Challenge Cup last weekend.
Tighthead Richard Palframan makes his first Premiership start, with Canada international Jebb Sinclair replacing Conor Gilsenan in the back row.
Chris Noakes comes in for Shane Geraghty at fly-half, while Fergus Mulchrone forms an all-Irish midfield with Eoin Griffin.
“We have made a few changes for this week,” said Delaney. “A few players picked up niggles last week and others have really impressed on the training pitch so have earned their chance.”
Sale have not won at the Madejski Stadium since 2006 but they were resounding 36-8 victors when the teams last met in November.
The Sharks defeated Gloucester in their last outing and director of rugby Steve Diamond has resisted making changes for the trip to Reading.
Danny Cipriani, who had a 100 per cent kicking record against Gloucester, continues at fly-half with blindside flanker Dan Braid captaining the side.
London Irish: 15 Andrew Fenby, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Fergus Mulchrone, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Chris Noakes, 9 Darren Allinson; 1 Tom Court; 2 David Paice, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 George Skivington (c), 5 Nic Rouse, 6 Jebb Sinclair; 7 Blair Cowan, 8 Tom Guest.
Replacements: 16 Jimmy Stevens, 17 Jamie Hagan, 18 Halani Aulika, 19 Dan Leo, 20 Luke Narraway, 21 Tomas O'Leary, 22 Gerard Ellis, 23 Tom Fowlie.
Sale Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Tom Arscott, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Chris Cusiter; 1 Ross Harrison, 2 Tommy Taylor, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 4 Andrei Ostrikov, 5 Nathan Hines, 6 Dan Braid (c), 7 David Seymour, 8 Josh Beaumont.
Replacements: 16 Marc Jones, 17 Eifion Lewis-Roberts, 18 Ciaran Parker, 19 Jonathan Mills, 20 Magnus Lund, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Joe Ford, 23 Tom Brady.