Smith keen to sink Sharks

Brian Smith is confident London Irish can put a frustrating away day at Welford Road behind them and blow Guinness Premiership form team Sale Sharks off course tomorrow.

Irish left Leicester without a point last weekend, despite “working their socks off,” according to rugby director Smith.

But their job is not about to get any easier, with Sale arriving at the Madejski Stadium after collecting 23 points from the last six Premiership games.

It is a record superior to any other side in the league, suggesting the Sharks could challenge strongly for a second title in three seasons.

Smith said: “Sale are a ’top four’ team with a large number of world-class players in their squad.

“With the likes of Sebastien Chabal, Mark Cueto, Sebastien Bruno, Luke McAlister and Andrew Sheridan fit and ready for action, it is no surprise Sale have eyes on the Premiership title.

“But Sunday’s game is our first home fixture of the new year, and we are looking to give our supporters a big performance.

“Our boys worked their socks off against Leicester last weekend, and we were unlucky to come away without any points.

“We are confident we can do better on Sunday.”

Irish’s hopes have been hit by the loss of influential centre Seilala Mapusua, who broke his hand against Leicester and faces a possible two-month absence after undergoing surgery.

Shane Geraghty moves from fly-half to replace him, with Eoghan Hickey wearing the number 10 shirt. Sale, meanwhile, welcome back All Blacks centre McAlister, who has recovered from a leg injury.

Newcastle, buoyed by a 22-19 success at Saracens last time out, are braced for a punishing forward battle against struggling Worcester at Kingston Park tomorrow.

The Warriors’ losing bonus point collected during a 10-7 loss to Harlequins last Saturday took them off the Premiership basement, and Falcons flanker Ben Woods expects a ferocious contest.

Woods said: “Worcester have a big pack, and they will try to dominate the lineouts and get a shove on in the maul, so we know what is coming.

“They have a very physical style of play, and the deciding factor will be how we as a pack front up to them.

“If we can do that, then the hope is we can impose our own style on the match, but we know that it all starts with the hard work in the forwards to build the platform and deliver quick ball.

“Last weekend against Saracens we set the tone with the very first kick-off receipt and drive, making the statement that we weren’t going to back down, so it is just a case of more of the same really.

“Worcester have a good squad and we know they can get results, as they showed last season at places like Saracens, and complacency is our biggest enemy.”

Newcastle skipper James Noon makes his 200th start for the club, while Worcester have handed former Falcons player Loki Crichton fly-half duties instead of Shane Drahm.

Elsewhere, Leicester head to London to face Harlequins boosted by returning England back-row forwards Martin Corry and Lewis Moody, with prolific points scorer Andy Goode also back after missing the 25-17 victory over Irish.

Quins plan to be unchanged from the Worcester game, although those hopes rest on England number eight Nick Easter passing a fitness test following his knee injury suffered at Sixways.

Third-placed Saracens show several changes for the trip to Bristol’s Memorial Stadium, where the home side are unbeaten in all competitions since mid-September and Saracens have not won for more than eight years.

Centre Andy Farrell, fly-half Glen Jackson and flanker Richard Hill are all back in action, and there is a full Premiership debut for prop Matias Aguero.

Bristol make four changes after subsiding 27-0 against Gloucester last time out, with centre Neil Brew, fly-half Jason Strange, hooker Mark Regan and flanker Joe El Abd recalled by head coach Richard Hill.