Sale Sharks suffer AJ MacGinty blow ahead of Premiership play-off against Exeter

Sale Sharks will miss the services of fly-half AJ MacGinty for the Gallagher Premiership play-off against Exeter Chiefs following a leg injury.

The 31-year-old was stretchered off the field in the closing stages of the final round clash against Rob Baxter's men which Sale went on to lose 19-20.

Also joining him on the sidelines will be flanker Cameron Neild, who was also injured during the same game. Meanwhile, hooker Akker van der Merwe, who limped off the field in the 12th minute has been given time to prove his fitness before the Saturday's clash.

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson provided the updates on the trio while revealing South African Robert du Preez is set to start at fly-half for the semi-final against Exeter.

“AJ is not playing this weekend,” he said.

“AJ is on a conference call with a surgeon today, so we still don’t know, but thankfully it is not a hamstring off the bone or any tendons, so it could be much worse.

“Akker, we are giving him as long as we can this week, and there is a chance he might come through, but Cam Neild, there is no chance, unfortunately.

“AJ has been absolutely mercurial, he has been brilliant for us. He has played some of his best rugby, and he will be sorely missed.

“We talked about it on the field straight after the game (last Saturday) that we can’t let their injuries be in vain this weekend.

“We have got an international fly-half stepping in. How lucky are we? We have got a really good player to come in.”

Meanwhile, Exeter will be without Sam Skinner and Dave Ewers for the rest of the season after the duo were handed four week bans.