Du Preez at fly-half as Ford misses Sale opener

Sale Sharks vs. Glasgow Warriors in the Investec Champions Cup Pool One

Date: Friday, December 5th, 2018 Kick-off: 20:00 GMT

For their Champions Cup opener against the Glasgow Warriors on Friday, Sale are without George Ford and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.

Ford, who injured his groin in the Prem defeat by Exeter on November 28th, will start at fly-half in place of Rob du Preez, who will start at center.

The 32-year-old “is a quick healer,” according to Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson, who stated in his pre-game press conference that he did not know how long Ford’s issue would take to resolve. So he did not anticipate the England number 10 being out of action for an extended period of time.

Luke Cowan-Dickie is not included in Sale’s matchday squad, and prop Opoku-Fordjour is expected to miss six weeks due to hyperextending an elbow during a scrum against Exeter.

Ben Curry, an England flanker, has had hamstring surgery and is now on the bench.

Numerous internationals from Scotland are now included in Glasgow’s squad for the match.

Stafford McDowall will make his 100th appearance for the Warriors when Sione Tuipulotu starts and is paired with him at center.

Zander Fagerson will start for his club for the first time since April, while the other players are expected to start.

Fagerson missed the British and Irish Lions’ summer tour due to injury, but he made a comeback in action as Scotland wrapped up their series of autumn internationals with a consolation victory over Tonga.

Glasgow advanced one round further by defeating Leinster in the quarter-finals while Sale were defeated by Toulouse in the last 16 last year.

The first pool game of the season’s tournament will be played by both teams on Friday.

Caine, Onasanya, Harper, Andrews, B. Curry, Warr, Davies, and Wehr are the replacements.

McKay, Steyn, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Smith, Hastings, Horne, McBeth, Hiddleston, Williamson, Cummings, M. Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey, and more.

Vincent Blasco Baque (France) and Julien Caulier (France) serve as assistant referees.