Eifion Roberts returns for Sale © Getty Images

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Matches: Sale Sharks 17 - 3 Worcester Warriors

Tournaments/Tours: Guinness Premiership

Teams: England | Sale Sharks | Worcester Warriors

Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors face an early cup-final on Friday night as they go head-to-head at Edgeley Park, with the prize a vital advantage in the scrap for Guinness Premiership survival.

The Warriors are two points adrift of Sale at the bottom of the table and following Newcastle's victory over Gloucester they cannot afford to lose any ground in the battle against relegation. With Leeds facing a tough task against title-chasing Northampton this game represents a vital opportunity for both sides.

Sale boss Kingsley Jones has wasted no time in calling his experienced campaigners back following their 38-0 thrashing at the hands of London Irish last weekend.

Mark Cueto and Mathew Tait both start their first home games since January after Six Nations duty with England while Lee Thomas returns from injury at inside-centre. Richard Wigglesworth and Charlie Hodgson are in tandem at halfback and Marika Vakacegu and Ben Cohen complete the back-three.

Eifion Roberts boosts their front-row resources and returns from injury at loose-head while Chris Jones and skipper Dean Schofield will need to nullify the threat of the Warriors' lineout, going up against former All Black Greg Rawlinson and the giant Craig Gillies. The Sharks' back-row is balanced, with Sisa Koyamaibole providing plenty of power at blindside and David Seymour guile at openside.

Pat Sanderson skippers the visitors, who have drafted academy graduate Greg King into midfield due to Sam Tuitupou's ongoing back problems. King is joined in the centres by veteran campaigner Dale Rasmussen and Willie Walker will pull the strings at fly-half. There is plenty of class at fullback as Chris Latham starts, with the Wallaby eager to secure a happy ending to his time at Sixways.

"They don't come any bigger than this," Sharks boss Kingsley Jones said. "It's a huge game for everyone connected with the club. I watched Worcester's game last week against Leicester Tigers and picked up some pointers."

Sale Sharks: Marika Vakacegu; Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait, Lee Thomas, Ben Cohen; Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth; Eifion Roberts, Neil Briggs, Jack Forster, Chris Jones, Dean Schofield (capt), Sisa Koyamaibole, David Seymour, Kristian Ormsby

Replacements: Mahonri Schwalger, Gavin Kerr, Rob O'Donnell, Sean Cox, Marc Jones, Chris Leck, Jonny Kennedy, Dafydd James

Worcester Warriors: Chris Latham; Chris Pennell, Dale Rasmussen, Greg King, Miles Benjamin; Willie Walker, Jonny Arr, Adam Black, Chris Fortey, Tevita Taumoepeau, Greg Rawlinson, Craig Gillies, Tom Wood, Pat Sanderson (capt), Kai Horstmann

Replacements: Callum Black, Aleki Lutui, Olivier Sourgens, Graham Kitchener, Chris Cracknell, Ryan Powell, Matthew Jones, Alex Grove