Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson expects reigning Gallagher Premiership champions Leicester to have “steam coming out of the ears” in Sunday’s play-off clash.
Sale have not reached English rugby’s domestic showpiece final since 2006, when Jason Robinson was captain and fly-half Charlie Hodgson scored 23 points in a 45-20 demolition of the Tigers at Twickenham.
Leicester, though, are regular visitors. In the 17 years since Sale were last there, Tigers can reflect on eight appearances and five title triumphs.
But they will arrive at the AJ Bell Stadium as outsiders, having finished 10 points behind Sale during the regular Premiership season and conceding 40 points on their last league trip to Greater Manchester in December.
“I dare say they are going to be frothing at the mouth, steam coming out of the ears, fire and brimstone,” Sanderson said.
“We’ve beaten them twice (this season), and I have heard that they want to play us. If someone had beaten me twice, I would want to play them.”
Current Leicester head coach Richard Wigglesworth was the Sale scrum-half against Tigers in the 2006 final, and he is now tasked with plotting Sharks’ downfall.
“I consider him a good friend,” Sanderson added. “There is probably no-one in the Premiership who knows me better or who I know better.
“What I am going after in his team, he is probably going after in ours.”
Sale welcome back the likes of Tom Curry and Nick Schonert, but Leicester wing Chris Ashton, who avoided a ban when he appeared before disciplinary chiefs on Thursday after being sent off last weekend, has not made Tigers’ matchday 23, with four changes seeing Freddie Steward, Anthony Watson, Matt Scott and George Martin all starting.
Wigglesworth said: “Their home record is impressive – it has been a big talking point out of the club all season.
“What they want to do in the north for the game and to have only lost a couple of games in all competitions at the AJ Bell is something that they take great pride in.
“It hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for us for a long time, having not won there in more than five years.
“Being the away side in a semi-final is tough enough, but it is a challenge we are looking forward to taking on.”
Saracens are aiming for a fifth Premiership crown during the past nine seasons, and they host Northampton on Saturday.
Mark McCall’s men were beaten by Leicester in the final a year ago, edged out 15-12 by Freddie Burns’ drop-goal during the dying seconds.
“It is tough to lose any final,” Saracens and England fly-half Owen Farrell said.
“We felt like we didn’t put the best of us out on that day, and that is a credit to Leicester and what they did.
“It is up to us to make the most of it. We are excited for the semi-final.”
England international Elliot Daly will continue his comeback from injury on the Saracens’ bench, while wing James Ramm returns for Northampton and Courtney Lawes makes a Saints-record 165th Premiership start.
Northampton head coach Sam Vesty said: “They are a very good team, and it will take us playing well and playing well for long periods of time.
“I think if we do that we will win, and if we don’t or only play well in patches, then it will be tough as they are a very strong outfit.”
Steward and Van Poortvleit among England changes for Springboks Test
Freddie Steward and Jack van Poortvliet will return for England on Saturday, with Steve Borthwick making four changes against South Africa.
England were unchanged for their narrow defeats against New Zealand and Australia, but the Leicester pair, who were not included in the squad for either of those matches, come straight in to replace George Furbank and Ben Spencer.
Ollie Sleightholme scored his first international tries in the defeat to Australia and is rewarded with a maiden Test start in place of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, while Sam Underhill comes in for Tom Curry, with both players missing due to head injuries.
England have lost each of their last four Test matches, their longest such run since losing five straight games in 2018.
"We're excited to challenge ourselves against the world's top-ranked team and back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions," Borthwick said.
"Test matches against South Africa are always thrilling contests, and I'm sure Saturday will be no exception."
Meanwhile, South Africa have made 12 changes to their starting XV from their 32-15 win over Scotland on Sunday.
Captain Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit return in the back row, while Cheslin Kobe is also named in the side.
The world champions have got a more balanced look to their bench this time around though, with coach Rassie Erasmus opting not to name seven forwards among the replacements this time around.
England squad in full:
Freddie Steward, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Jamie George (captain), Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Chandler Cunningham-South, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford, Tom Roebuck.
South Africa squad in full:
Alphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian De Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Maine Libbok, Grant Williams, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Wilco Loux, Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am.
Healy in line to equal Ireland cap record versus Argentina
Cian Healy is set to equal Brian O'Driscoll's Ireland cap record when they face New Zealand in Friday's autumn international in Dublin.
The 37-year-old prop has represented his country on 132 occasions and, after being named on the bench, will equal O'Driscoll's mark if introduced versus the Pumas.
Ireland suffered their first home defeat since 2021 last time out, going down by a 23-13 scoreline against New Zealand.
Despite that loss, head coach Andy Farrell has only made one change to Ireland's starting lineup, bringing Robbie Henshaw in at inside centre in place of Bundee Aki.
Argentina also named their team on Wednesday, with vice-captain Pablo Matera, Guido Petti and Matias Moroni replacing Santiago Grondona, Franco Molina and Matias Orlando.
Ireland team: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Peter O'Mahony, Craig Casey, Sam Prendergast, Jamie Osborne.
Argentina team: Juan Cruz Mallia; Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Matias Moroni, Bautista Delguy; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Bertranou; Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya, Joel Sclavi; Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo; Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo.
Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Ignacio Calles, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Franco Molina, Santiago Grondona, Gonzalo Garcia, Santiago Carreras, Justo Piccardo.
Pressure to win for England is a 'privilege', says Wigglesworth
Senior England coach Richard Wigglesworth believes that the pressure to win matches is part of the privilege of playing for the national team.
England face world champions South Africa at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday with displeasure growing after four straight defeats.
Included in that run were narrow losses in their first two Autumn Nations Series games against New Zealand and Australia.
Though England have won three of their last four games against South Africa at Allianz Stadium, Wigglesworth insisted everyone within the squad wants to improve.
"This job of being part of the England team is such a privilege, because so many people care, which makes your feeling on the matter really big," Wigglesworth told BBC Sport.
"Our job is to step back from that and see what was right, what was wrong, and what can we fix.
"We need to see the game for what it is, make the decisions for what they are, and get better every week.
"It is our job to make sure the players understand as much as they can that they can’t get affected by that as well.
"We know the attention the team gets is result-dependent, and rightly so."
The last time England and South Africa faced one another was in the Rugby World Cup semi-final in 2023, in which the Springboks came back from 15-6 down to win 16-15.
England will have to be wise to how the visitors have evolved since that game according to Wigglesworth.
"They have a squad and a plan they have done for a while, and when you are successful you tend to stick to things," he said.
"I have really enjoyed watching what they do, and how they do it. It is our job to meet that and rise to it."
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