The wait is nearly over - yes, 'rugby to set your pulse racing' returns to Edgeley Park. As all comers look to over turn the Champions on their home turf, will we once again be able to make our ground a fortress?

As last weeks experience at Welford Road shows, it's going to be a tough old season, and the visit of Saints will provide a stern test. Keen to shed their tags as the premiership's under-achievers, they got off to a flying start in the early stages of last week's game against the Falcons. They looked to have the visitors dead and buried before half time, but an unfortunate injury to the increasingly impressive Jon Clarke saw the wheels come off a little and Falcons struck back with two well worked tries early in the second half.

It's going to be a hard battle in the forwards on Saturday - Saints' front row are a wise old bunch and their line out seemed to function well (despite having Banjo in the line up! - shouldn't say too much, though, given the state of Bruno's chucking at the weekend!) and they were more than a match for Newcastle until Saints' old boy Blobby Morris came on and added a bit of bulk and nous to the Falcons pack. Bruno needs to hit his jumpers and we need to be more competitive at the break down if we're to stop Saints doing to us what Leicester did last week.

One battle I'm really looking forward to seeing is in the half backs - experienced campaigner Mark Robinson against one of our pair of rising stars in Wiggy and Foden. I'm guessing Wiggy will start, and then the mouth watering prospect of King Carlos, the unpredictable mercurial genius, against our very own Charlie. Last week, in a team constantly on the back foot, Charlie looked a class apart - creating time and space for himself with apparent ease. It should be some contest.

Our defensive frailties in the midfield need to be shored up but I can see PSA sticking with the centre combo of Bell and Mayor for the attacking threat they provide. Bad news for Saints and England is good news for Sale - we won't have to try and contain Clarke. Saints have two big men in Cohen and Lamont on the wings and in the early stages of the Falcons game Lamont looked particularly hungry - so I personally wouldn't mind seeing Taylor in the starting XV for the extra solidity in defence he gives us.

I think Saint Andre will probably stick with the same back 3, who will hopefully see more of the ball in attacking positions this week and get themselves on the score sheet.

Tough one to call this - especially given our line out disaster last week and our injury and selection worries at second row. I expect a big game from Sea Bass in front of the Edgeley Park faithful and Charlie to once again pull the strings at 10. If our forwards can step up a gear from last week and secure us enough ball (it's been a long time since I've thought that!) then I think we will go on to put a few tries on the board.

Sale by 10.

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