CHANGES aplenty have been made to the London Irish side which will take on Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
Coach Tom Coventry has made 11 alterations to the starting XV which secured a place in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup when defeating Agen 31-17 in southern France last weekend.
Only Topsy Ojo, Shane Geraghty, Conor Gilsenan and Luke Narraway keep their places in the team which started at Stade Armandie.
Out go Theo Brophy Clews, Fergus Mulchrone, Dominic Waldouck, Tom Fowlie, Scott Steele, Tom Smallbone, Tom Cruse, Leo Halavatau, Ollie Curry, David Sisi and Tom Guest.
Halavatau, Steele and Brophy Clews, however, do take a place on the bench.
Taking their positions in the line up are Sean Maitland, Ciaran Hearn, Johnny Williams, Aseli Tikoirotuma, Brendan McKibbin, Tom Court, David Paice, Halani Aulika, Matt Symons, who is captain, Will Lloyd and Ofisa Treviranus.
“We were delighted with the result last weekend and it is important that we build on that performance with another good display against Sale,” said Coventry.
“The Sharks are a formidable side at home so we know we will have to be at our best to get the result.”
Court, Paice and Aulika form the front row, with Symons and Lloyd resuming duties in the second row.
The back row trio consists of Treviranus, Gilsenan and Narraway.
McKibbin returns at scrum half, with Geraghty keeping his place at fly half.
Williams and Hearn form the centre partnership as Ojo, Tikoirotuma and Maitland make up the back three.
Irish head to the AJ Bell Stadium looking to record back-to-back league wins.
The visitors currently sit 11th in the standings on eight points.
LONDON IRISH: Maitland, Ojo, Hearn, Williams, Tikoirotma, Geraghty, McKibbin, Court, Paice, Aulika, Symons (c), Lloyd, Treviranus, Gilsenan, Narraway.
Reps: Ellis, Harris, Halavatau, Sinclair, McCusker, Steele, Brophy Clews, Fenby.
– IRISH, however, have been dealt a blow with news Ben Franks is set to miss the next 12 weeks having ruptured his bicep tendon.
The World Cup winner needs surgery and the recovery period is in the region of three months.
The New Zealander joins Richard Palframan (hamstring), Nic Rouse, Eoin Sheriff, George Skivington, Chris Noakes (all shoulder) and Eoin Griffin (bicep) on the long-term injury list.