Ye Gods that's an average looking side
I would be delighted with average. That is a side that looks doomed for relegation.
As for who will start -- as usual Clifford, Salli, Chisholm, Cat will not start. They will play a game around November, get injured and as usual be out for the rest of the season. Some players are just blighted by injury through no fault of their own but they are a drain on the club.
On paper its a solid team:
Front row all internationals with the Sinck on the bench
Second row if Horwill plays not so sad
Back row pretty solid if Robshaw has had a decent rest
Halfbacks potential to be brilliant, potential to run sideways and panic
Centres probably the weakest area of the team but Sales centres are not the greatest either
Back 3 pretty strong.
That said if the team plays like last year theyll get smashed!
Our (Sale) centres aren't Nonu and Smith but I think you're doing them a disservice. Sam James has arguably been our most consistent player of the past couple of seasons. Plenty of calls for him to have been included in international squads over somebody like Francis. We may also play his younger brother Luke who acquitted himself well last season - especially as he's only 19. Played in the Prem 9 time last season and I don't remember him being shown up.
Of course if RJvR was fit....
For balance, I think we'll probably go with:
Harrison Webber John - basically our first choices
Evans Beaumont - also first choices
Ross Strauss T. Curry - decent back row
Cliff - solid but not Faf
AJ - coming more and more into his own
James x2 - see above
Yarde McGuigan Denny - potent attacking back three
The weaknesses will be that Cliff isn't Faf so there is more pressure on AJ to create and the bench is likely to have some untested talent on there.