GP preview: Re-arranged Round 9
Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:35
The Guinness Premiership is able to catch up on one of the fixtures that were postponed, as Sale Sharks host London Wasps in the round 9 match that was originally scheduled to be played in November 2009.
There is only one Premiership match this weekend as the other matches have been re-arranged for a second time, because Gloucester and Northampton have both reached the LV= Cup final, and therefore won't be available for Premiership matches this weekend.
Friday, March 19
Sale Sharks v London Wasps
(Edgely Park - 19:45 GMT)
London Wasps have lost on their last five visits to Edgeley Park, but could well manage to get that bogey off their backs on Friday, as they have rediscovered some good form in recent matches.
Kingsley Jones' side are also in the running for a spot in the play-offs and sit in fourth place on the table. Wasps are also very pleased to have Charlie Hodgson available after he was on stand-bye should Jonny Wilkinson not recover in time for England's Six Nations match against France.
Wasps' only loss in their last five matches in all competitions was 10-26 at Leeds Carnegie on February 28. Wasps won 22-16 when the two teams clashed in the Guinness Premiership on February 14, but have not completed a season's double over the Sharks since 2003-04.
Sale Sharks have slipped to eight successive defeats in all competitions. Four of those reversals have come at Edgeley Park, where Sale have not lost five in a row since moving to the venue in 2003.
The Sharks also find themselves at the bottom of the Premiership table and in a relegation battle with Leeds and Worcester.
John Hart makes his 100th Premiership appearance and will desperately be hoping it is a memorable one for his club who need a win.
Rugby365 prediction: Despite Wasps' poor record at Edgely Park they should put one over the misfiring Sharks - Wasps by 15.
Teams:
Sale Sharks: 15 Marika Vakacegu, 14 Dafydd James, 13 Jonny Kennedy, 12 Nick Macleod, 11 Ben Cohen, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Kristian Ormsby, 7 Luke Abraham, 6 Sisa Koyamaibole, 5 Dean Schofield, 4 Chris Jones, 3 Jack Forster, 2 Neil Briggs, 1 Eifion Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Marc Jones, 17 Gavin Kerr, 18 Rob O’Donnell, 19 Sean Cox, 20 Carl Fearns, 21 David Seymour, 22 Chris Leck, 23 David Bishop.
London Wasps: 15 Mark Van Gisbergen, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Ben Jacobs, 12 Steve Kefu, 11 David Lemi, 10 Dave Walder, 9 Warren Fury, 8 Dan Ward Smith, 7 Serge Betsen, 6 John Hart, 5 Dan Leo, 4 Marty Veale, 3 Ben Broster, 2 Rob Webber (captain), 1 Zak Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Tom Lindsay, 17 Gabriel Bocca, 18 Bob Baker, 19 Will Matthews, 20 Hugo Ellis, 21 Danny Cipriani, 22 Dominic Waldouck, 23 Tom
Varndell.
Referee: Chris White
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