Borthwick to team up with purdy at sale

Head coach Steve Meehan, as predicted in the Chronicle, has madeseveral changes to the starting XV which beat Leicester Tigers at TheRec in last week's opening EDF Energy Cup Group B match for tomorrownight's tie against Sale Sharks at Edgeley Park (7.45pm).

Bath head for Sale looking to chalk up their sixth win a row inall competitions this season with skipper Steve Borthwick leading aside which will see him play alongside summer signing Martin Purdy inthe second row for the first time.

Rob Hawkins has retained his place at hooker with England WorldCup squad member Lee Mears on the bench as cover and South AfricanLorne Ward makes his first senior competitive start at tight-head.

In the back row, Jonny Faamatuainu starts at blind-side ahead ofthe rested Andy Beattie and Zak Feaunati returns at No 8, with JamesScaysbrook retaining the No 7 shirt.

Behind the pack, scrum-half Michael Claassens is rested, makingway for Nick Walshe to team up with fly-half Shaun Berne, and Meehanhas made two changes in his back three.

They see Michael Stephenson drop to full-back, with Ian Davey andMatt Banahan starting on the wings.

Sale boss Philippe Saint-Andre, meanwhile, will make a latedecision over whether Charlie Hodgson or Lee Thomas starts at fly-half in a side which will be without knee injury victims MagnusLund, Chris Jones and Jason White.

Also ruled out of the Sharks' selection equation were club captainDean Schofield and wings Rory Lamont and Mark Cueto.

Dean picked up an ankle injury in Sale's opening group defeat atCardiff last Friday, Lamont has an injured ankle and Cueto picked upa calf strain in training this week.

BATH RUGBY: 15 Michael Stephenson, 14 Matt Banahan, 13 AlexCrockett, 12 Tom Cheeseman, 11 Ian Davey, 10 Shaun Berne, 9 NickWalshe, 1 David Flatman, 2 Rob Hawkins, 3 Lorne Ward, 4 SteveBorthwick (capt), 5 Martin Purdy, 6 Jonny Faamatuainu, 7 JamesScaysbrook, 8 Zak Feaunati

Replacements: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Laurence Ovens, 18 Andy Beattie, 19Chris Goodman, 20 Mike Baxter, 21 Jack Cuthbert, 22 Nick Abendanon.

SALE SHARKS: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Julien Laharrague, 13 Chris Mayor,12 Chris Bell, 11 Steve Hanley, 10 Charlie Hodgson/Lee Thomas, 9Richard Wigglesworth, 1 Andrew Sheridan, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 StuartTurner, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe (capt), 5 Chris Day, 6 Juan MartinFernandez Lobbe, 7 Michael Hills, 8 Sebastien Chabal.

Replacements: 16 Sebastien Bruno, 17 Benoit Bourrust, 18 Sean Cox,19 David Tait, 20 Sililo Martens, 21 Lee Thomas/Charlie Hodgson, 22Oriol Ripol.