The injury curse Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea thought was behind his squad struck again this week to deal a blow to the club's Premiership title ambitions.
Quins host Sale Sharks at the Stoop tomorrow night having learned Fijian World Cup number eight Netani Talei will miss the whole campaign with a knee injury.
While giant back rower Mat Luamanu – impressive in the opening weeks of the campaign – will sit out at least two months, having had surgery on a pectoral injury this week.
It leaves O'Shea with only one senior number eight at his disposal in Nick Easter and two young - but talented - deputies Jack Clifford and James Chisholm, who are both among the replacements for tomorrow's game.
Quins finished eighth in the table last season and missed out on qualification to the European Rugby Champions Cup - the launch of which took place at the Stoop this week - in a below par campaign afflicted byh a succession of injuries to key men.
England captain Chris Robshaw starts at number six tomorrow night with Luke Wallace re-called to the number seven shirt.
Harlequins team to face Sale Sharks: 15. Mike Brown, 14. Marland Yarde, 13. George Lowe, 12. Matt Hopper, 11. Tim Visser, 10. Nick Evans, 9. Danny Care (C); 1. Joe Marler, 2. Dave Ward, 3. Will Collier, 4. Charlie Matthews, 5. Sam Twomey, 6. Chris Robshaw, 7. Luke Wallace, 8. Nick Easter
Replacements: 16. Joe Gray, 17. Mark Lambert, 18. Kyle Sinckler, 19. Jack Clifford, 20. James Chisholm, 21. Karl Dickson, 22. Ben Botica, 23. Ollie Lindsay-Hague.
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