Sale Sharks have named England international Tom Curry as one of five returning players to their starting line-up for the Premiership semi-final against visitors Leicester Tigers.

Nick Schonert is also fit again.

Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson is expecting a "monumental physical battle" against the reigning champions.

Sale finished second in the table, 10 points ahead of a third-placed Tigers team who share their reputation for robustness and danger from set-pieces.

"We're not going to win all of those collisions," said Sanderson. "But can we win even 1% more of them either side of the ball? That's probably considered a win.

"Leicester have that experience. I daresay they'll be frothing at the mouth, steam coming out of their ears, like fire and brimstone. We've already beaten them twice and I've heard through the England camp that they want to play us."

Sale made the most recent of their three play-off appearances in 2021, when they were beaten 40-30 by Exeter Chiefs in the semi-finals.

Scotland hooker Ewan Ashman, who will move to Edinburgh in the summer, is one of six internationals named on their bench.

Ashman could make his final appearance at the AJ Bell Stadium against opponents who have made four changes to their starting side from their 20-17 home defeat by Harlequins on 6 May.

Leicester coach Richard Wigglesworth will bring in George Martin, Freddie Steward and Anthony Watson after resting the trio, and includes Matt Scott, with Julian Montoya as captain.

Harry Wells and Guy Porter are among the players to drop to the bench, where James Cronin is available again after injury.

Leicester accept underdog challenge

Wigglesworth says Leicester deserve to be considered outsiders at a setting where they have lost each of their past four visits, most recently being the victims of a bonus-points triumph for Sale in a 40-5 thrashing in December.

"It isn't a surprise to me that Sale are doing great under Alex Sanderson," said Wigglesworth, whose side know victory would earn them a final against the winners of Saturday's semi-final between Saracens and Northampton Saints.

"Alex is a brilliant coach and great leader. I know him well and have had a lot to do with him over the years. I understand why he has had the success he has had this season.

"They and Saracens have been the pack leaders since Round 1, the benchmark for the rest of the competition and they have earned a home semi-final and the favourites tag for Sunday."

Leicester won 27-14 at home to Northampton in last season's semi-finals before edging out Saracens 15-12 in a final decided by Freddie Burns' last-minute drop-goal.

The ultra-dramatic victory was the culmination of the Tigers' first play-off campaign since 2017, having previously been perennial in the knockout stage from 2000.

"We have got players throughout this squad who have experienced semi-finals before and understand it presents a different challenge than the usual, week-to-week grind of the league," added Wigglesworth.

"On the flip side, there are still a lot of guys in our group whose experience of Premiership semi-finals is only last season's game. That's what coaching is: managing an entire group who all come into challenges together with very different understandings of them."

Sale: Carpenter, Roebuck, Rob Du Preez, Tuilagi, Reed, Ford, Warr; McIntyre, Van der Merwe, Schonert, Jean-Luc du Preez, Hill, Tom Curry, Ben Curry (capt), Ross.

Replacements: Ashman, Rodd, Oosthuizen, Beaumont, Dan du Preez, Quirke, James, O'Flaherty.

Leicester: Steward, Watson, Scott, Kelly, Potter, Pollard, Youngs; Wiese, Reffell, Liebenberg, Henderson, Martin, Cole, Montoya (capt), West.

Replacements: Clare, Cronin, Heyes, Wells, Cracknell, Van Poortvliet, Gopperth, Porter.

Referee: Wayne Barnes