Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints: Full team news for Saturday's clash

Furbank, who has recovered from a calf problem, has not played since scoring in the win against Sale Sharks on December 20, but he is fit enough to be named among the replacements for the clash at the CorpAcq Stadium.

Saints have opted for a 6:2 split on a bench that includes Henry Pollock as Tom Pearson and Callum Chick return to start in the back row, in place of Pollock and Sam Graham.

Alex Coles is back after being rested for the win against Scarlets last Sunday, lining up alongside JJ van der Mescht in the second row.

Tommy Freeman moves to the wing as Rory Hutchinson returns to partner skipper Fraser Dingwall at centre.

With Fin Smith still out with a calf injury, Anthony Belleau again starts at fly-half.

Saints' strength in depth is showcased by the fact that the likes of Tom James, Ollie Sleightholme and James Ramm are fit but not named in the matchday 23.

Smith, Emeka Atuanya, Will Glister, Curtis Langdon, Tom Litchfield and Tom West are on the 'not considered for selection' list this weekend.

A host of familiar names return to the Sharks side after injury as boss Alex Sanderson makes nine changes to the team that suffered a club record 77-7 defeat at Toulouse last Saturday.

England stars Tom Curry, Raffi Quirke, George Ford and Joe Carpenter are among those back in blue this weekend.

Arron Reed features as a replacement after recovering from a knee injury.

Sanderson has gone for an unchanged front row for the third consecutive game with Bevan Rodd packing down alongside Nathan Jibulu and James Harper.

In the second row, skipper Ernst van Rhyn is reunited with Ben Bamber, with Hyron Andrews suspended.

Only Sam Dugdale remains from the back row that faced Toulouse, with Jacques Vermeulen and Tom Curry returning.

Quirke has recovered from his knee injury to start at scrum-half, with Ford outside him at fly-half.

Rekeiti Ma’asi-White is back in his favourite 12 shirt to resume his partnership with Rob du Preez in the centres.

In the back three, Alex Wills starts, along with Tom O’Flaherty and Carpenter.

Ethan Caine is once again the replacement hooker and he’s joined on the bench by props Si McIntyre and Patreece Bell.

Tom Burrow and Jos Gilmore make up the rest of the forwards on the bench.

Gus Warr, Marius Louw and Scotland winger Reed are the backs replacements.

Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Rob du Preez, 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Alex Wills, 10 George Ford, 9 Raffi Quirke; 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 3 James Harper; 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 5 Ban Bamber; 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 7 Sam Dugdale, 8 Tom Curry.

Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Patreece Bell, 19 Tom Burrow, 20 Jos Gilmore, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Arron Reed.

Saints: 15 George Hendy; 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Fraser Dingwall (c), 11 Edoardo Todaro; 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Robbie Smith, 3 Trevor Davison; 4 Alex Coles, 5 JJ Van Der Mescht; 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Tom Pearson, 8 Callum Chick.

Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Ed Prowse, 20 Tom Lockett, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Archie McParland, 23 George Furbank.