Luke McAlister returns to action for Sale this weekend © Getty Images

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News: Bath and Tigers show play-off credentials

Matches: Harlequins 38 - 20 Sale Sharks

Players/Officials: Luke McAlister | Dean Richards

Tournaments/Tours: Guinness Premiership

Teams: England | Harlequins | Sale Sharks

Harlequins host Sale at the Stoop this weekend, with both sides looking to bounce back after disappointing losses in their last Guinness Premiership outings.

The home side came unstuck against a resurgent Newcastle at Kingston Park, while their play-off rivals Sale were humbles 38-3 by a rampant Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens.

Harlequins have been dealt a blow ahead of the game, with fly-half Nick Evans missing out with an injury. Chris Malone takes the place of the former All Black, with De Wet Barry starting in the centre in place of Jordan Turner-Hall. James Percival and Jim Evans form a new-look second-row while director of rugby Dean Richards' final change comes up front, with prop Mark Lambert replacing Mike Ross.

In the absence of Danny Care, who is away on England duty, Andy Gomarsall continues at scrum-half while the back three features plenty of attacking intent in the pacy trio of David Strettle, Mike Brown and Tom Williams.

The Sharks have been boosted by the return of Luke McAlister to the centre, while France hooker Sebastien Bruno also returns to the front-row after an injury layoff. Will Cliff takes the No.9 jersey in the absence of Dwayne Peel and Richard Wigglesworth partnering Chalrie Hodgson at halfback. Club captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe starts at No.8 following the announcement that he will leave the club at the end of the season to take up a contract with an as-yet undisclosed French side.

Harlequins: Mike Brown; David Strettle, Gonzalo Tiesi, De Wet Barry, Tom Williams; Chris Malone, Andy Gomarsall; Tom Guest, Will Skinner (capt), Chris Robshaw , Jim Evans, James Percival, Mark Lambert, Gary Botha, Ceri Jones

Replacements: Tani Fuga, Mike Ross, George Robson, Neil McMillan, Junior Polu, Waisea Luveniyali, Jordan Turner-Hall

Sale Sharks: Nick Macleod; Rory Lamont, Luke McAlister, Rudi Keil, David Doherty; Charlie Hodgson, Will Cliff; Rob O'Donnell, Sebastien Bruno, Eifion Roberts, Chris Jones,Brent Cockbain, Carl Fearns, Neil Briggs, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe

Replacements: Dave Ward, Lionel Faure, Sean Cox, James Gaskell, David Tait, Jonny Kennedy, Oriol Ripol

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