The three Du Preez brothers and captain Jono Ross are the only South Africans who have been included in the Sale Sharks’ match 23 for their clash with the Worcester Warriors on Wednesday.

Rob du Preez will start at flyhalf, while Dan du Preez (No 8) and Ross (flank) complete the back row with Englishman Tom Curry. Jean-Luc du Preez will play in the No 5 jersey.

Apart from the above-mentioned quartet and the injured Lood de Jager, Sale have five other South Africans – Faf de Klerk, Coenie Oosthuizen, Akker van der Merwe, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Cobus Wiese – in their squad, but all of them have been omitted from the match 23.

This comes after a Covid-19 outbreak within the club’s ranks, with 19 people affiliated to the team testing positive for the virus.

Sale have since denied suggestions that the outbreak at the club came as a consequence of their players flouting social-distancing rules. But Sale did say they could forfeit their scheduled Premiership clash with the Warriors on Wednesday if the club reports another positive coronavirus case.

Photo: Sale Sharks/Twitter