| Venue: RDS Arena, Dublin Dates: Saturday, 16 December Kick-off: 17:30 GMT |
| Coverage: Live text coverage on the Sport website |
Sale Sharks head coach Alex Sanderson has made 12 changes to his team to face Leinster in the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday.
Only Tom Roebuck, Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale remain from the starting line-up that defeated Stade Francais.
Fly-half George Ford drops out of the matchday squad and is replaced by Rob du Preez, who captains the side.
Scrum-half Raffi Quirke replaces Gus Warr and summer signing Telusa Veainu also comes into the side at full-back.
Flanker Jean-Luc du Preez, younger brother of Rob, could make his first appearance since October from the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury but his twin Dan is sidelined following a head injury last weekend.
Exciting young prop Asher Opoku-Fordjou is also on the bench after impressing as a replacement last weekend.
Ciaran Frawley, who kicked three penalties as a replacement for Harry Byrne in Leinster’s 16-9 win over defending champions La Rochelle last weekend, starts at fly-half for the hosts.
It will be Jacques Nienaber’s third game in charge as head coach of Leinster after helping South Africa win back-to-back World Cups.
Nienaber’s influence already showing
Sale fly-half Du Preez, who won his one and only South Africa cap against Wales in 2018 under Rassie Erasmus and Nienaber, says his former coach is already having an impact at Leinster.
“Jacques is very meticulous and very detailed. You have seen what he has done with the Boks defensively, they are one of the toughest defences around the world,” he told Sport.
“You can see already from last weekend how their line speed has increased, which is something South Africa have done really well.
“That is one area he will add to but when you go against a great team like Leinster the focus is on us and what we can do.”
Prop Thomas Clarkson also comes into Leinster’s starting XV after appearing off the bench against La Rochelle to make his first European start.
South African lock Jason Jenkins replaces Joe McCarthy in the starting line-up to partner co-captain James Ryan.
La Rochelle, Leicester Tigers, Stormers and Stade Francais are the other sides in Pool 4.
Line-ups
Leinster: Keenan; Larmour, Ringrose (co-capt), Henshaw, O’Brien; Frawley, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Clarkson, Jenkins, Ryan (co-capt), Baird, Van der Flier, Doris.
Replacements: Kelleher, Healy, Ala’alatoa, McCarthy, Conan, Murphy, Prendergast, Ngatai.
Sale: Veainu; Roebuck, Doherty, Bedlow, Reed; R Du Preez (capt), Quirke; Harrison, Taylor, Harper, Bamber, Beaumont, Van Rhyn, Dugdale, Birch.
Replacements: Caine, Onasanya, Opoku-Fordjour, Hill, JL Du Preez, Thomas, Curtis, Carpenter.
Referee: Pierre Brousset
