Philippe Saint-Andre believes Sale need to win five of their remaining six games to reach the Guinness Premiership play-offs, starting with leaders Bath on Friday.

(5) Sale v (1) Bath - Edgeley Park (19:30)

The Sharks are currently in fifth-place, four points adrift of the fourth-placed Harlequins, although they have a game in hand on the in-form London club.

"Competition for the top four is intensifying by the week," explained the Frenchman.

"We need to win five out of the last six games to make sure of a top four place."

Saint-Andre is without his giant prop Andrew Sheridan, who picked up an elbow injury in training this week, while hooker Sebastien Bruno and All Black centre Luke McAlister are on the bench.

Bruno is recovering from a heavy cold and McAlister a knock picked up in training.

But Saint-Andre welcomes back skipper and flanker Jason White (pictured) and scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth following their Six Nations involvement with Scotland and England.

Bath coach Steve Meehan has chosen to continue his rotation policy as the West Country giants look to build on a run of form that has seen them win five of their last six league matches.

As a result, Olly Barkley starts on on the bench, with Shaun Berne coming in at fly half.

Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu is handed the inside centre jersey, with Andrew Higgins returning to the wing.

"We've got to a stage where there are a couple of guys who have pretty much been running covered in band aids," explained Meehan.

"We have had our eye on those guys and have been a little concerned about them from a fatigue point of view."

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport