SALE Sharks captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is back from international duty to skipper his team against Leicester Tigers.

The Argentinian is in Sale’s starting line-up for Friday’s Premiership tie, alongside full-back Rory Lamont [Scotland] and French forwards Lionel Faure and Sebastien Chabal, who also returned this week after spending several weeks away representing their countries.

Wales prop Eifion Roberts and Scotland back row Jason White, who were released a week earlier than their international counter-parts, are also in the team.

Surprisingly, Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel, who has been embroiled in a ‘club versus country’ debate, is on the bench for Sharks.

Wales’ match against Australia on Saturday falls outside the International Rugby Board’s window for autumn fixtures, meaning Premiership teams are not obliged to release players.

And it was unanimously agreed by the league’s clubs, at a board meeting in October, not to release players for matches taking place outside the set time frame.

But, while Peel has returned to Sharks, his rival for the number nine shirt, and current first choice, Gareth Cooper has been released by Gloucester to take part in Wales’ match at the Millennium Stadium.

Despite the arrival of international reinforcements, Sharks have made just five changes to the team that recorded an important 13-12 victory against London Wasps on Sunday.

Ten players keep their places, including hooker Neil Briggs, who won Sale’s man-of-the-match award at Adams Park while playing out of position at flanker.

Sharks’ head coach Kingsley Jones explained: "Selection is very important this week as we need to get the right balance.

"We’ve got world class players coming back so if they are fit and well we need to use them.

"But you also have to reward the guys who fronted up at Wasps if they are fit and still hungry for another game."

Briggs, who will play at flanker again on Friday, admitted that before the Wasps match players felt they ‘owed everyone at the club a win’ after a 17-9 defeat by Worcester.

"When we play like we did [against Worcester] the boys are all down," he added. "There’s no one as hard on us as we are on ourselves. We know we played badly.

"We play for the supporters and the management so if we let them down we beat ourselves up about it.

"We’ve got a win now so we’ve got something to build on."

Fourth-placed Leicester Tigers have only won one of their last five games at Edgeley Park, a 26-25 victory in April 2007.

Despite a disappointing run of results, including three losses in the EDF Energy Cup and one defeat in the Heineken Cup, Sharks have only lost twice in the Premiership in seven games and are currently fifth.

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