Sale v Harlequins: Teams

Sale Sharks will be looking to complete a hat-trick of victories over Harlequins when the two rivals meet for the third time in four weeks.

Sale recorded back-to-back wins over Quins in the Heineken Cup, coming out on top 29-19 at the Stoop and then 21-17 at Edgeley Park.

And now the Sharks will look to take their form into the Guinness Premiership as they bid to climb away from the scrap at the bottom of the table.

Sale director of rugby Kingsley Jones said: "This is a big game for both Sharks and Quins.

"Quins will come here desperate to put the narrow defeat by Wasps behind them. They have quality players all over the field and we are expecting a very tough game to start off the New Year."

Sale prop Jack Forster has failed a fitness test on a sore shoulder ahead of Friday's game. Gavin Kerr will slot on at tighthead, meaning a call-up for Rob O'Donnell on the bench.

Harlequins have made six changes to the side that lost 21-20 to Wasps at Twickenham last time out.

A completely new-look front row sees Aston Croall, Matt Cairns and John Andress all start, with James Percival coming into the second row.

In the backs George Lowe is named at outside centre, while Tom Williams starts on the wing.

Sale: 15 Nick Macleod, 14 Mark Cueto, 13 Mathew Tait, 12 Jonny Kennedy, 11 Ben Cohen, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Dwayne Peel, 1 Eifion Roberts, 2 Neil Briggs, 3 Gavin Kerr, 4 Dean Schofield, 5 James Gaskell, 6 Carl Fearns, 7 David Seymour, 8 Sisa Koyamaibole.
Replacements: 16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Rob O'Donnell, 18 Martin Halsall, 19 Chris Jones, 20 Kristian Ormsby, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Chris Bell, 23 David Docherty

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 David Strettle, 13 George Lowe, 12 Nils Mordt, 11 Tom Williams, 10 Nic Evans, 9 Danny Care, 1 Aston Croall, 2 Matt Cairns, 3 John Andress, 4 James Percival, 5 George Robson, 6 Chris Robshaw, 7 Will Skinner, 8 Nick Easter.
Replacements: 16 Tani Fuga, 17 Ceri Jones, 18 Mark Lambert, 19 Lewis Stevenson, 20 Tom Guest, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Ugo Monye.