PREM Rugby: Sale Sharks 29-43 Northampton Saints - Saints stay top as Henry Pollock shows his quality

Saints found early dominance with a try after 7 minutes. With a line break combing centre Rory Hutchinson and flanker Josh Kemeny, the visitors went multiphase before England and Lions scrum half Alex Mitchell popped up a ball to his international teammate Tommy Freeman who dived over to score the game’s opening try. Anthony Belleau made the try a full seven pointer giving the visitors a 0-7 lead.

Phil Dowson’s side struck again as a break from George Hendy took the visitors deep in the Sharks half. Finding the width through Kemeny as the flanker found Scotland international Hutchinson who scored in the corner. Belleau’s conversion attempt was successful as the visitors raced into a 0-14 lead 13 minutes in.

The link up between Hutchinson and Freeman almost worked its magic again five minutes later only for the latter to uncharacteristically knock it on with a beaconing try scoring opportunity calling his name.

Sale refused to give up as a break from Sam Dugdale took Alex Sanderson’s men deep into Saints territory. With strong hard carries from captain Ernst Van Rhyn and Tom Curry to name a few, the sniping ability from the departing Raffi Quirke broke the Sharks duck and reducing the deficit after 24 minutes. Ford ensure the gap was only seven points with his right boot.

After committing a dangerous tackle with seven minutes left of the first period, referee Anthony Woodthorpe sent the 65 cap England forward Curry to the sin bin for the duration of the half and the early exchanged of the second.

Just before the break Ford’s right book struck again as the England centurion reduced the deficit to four points.

The Sharks came out the sheds on fire. Gathering the kick off through Nathan Jibulu, the ball went through the phases in the Saints 22 before finding Joe Carpenter in the wide channel to give Sale the lead for the first time in the game. Ford’s conversion got picked up in the wind and sailed wide leaving the score at 15-14.

The Saints response was rapid however as a break combining both Callum Chick and Tom Pearson took the visitors into the Sale 22. With big, close contact carries from the Saints pack, the patience card was played as hooker Robbie Smith eventually burrowed his was over. Belleau’s conversion further extended Saints’ lead.

The momentum pendulum swung back in the Sharks favour as Ford put Rekeiti Ma’asi-White through a huge hole who then fed Tom O’Flaherty who scored a brace pre-Christmas against the Saints in for Sale’s third try of the game. Ford’s conversion regained the hosts lead to one. 22-21.

A topsy turvy affair as the visitors exploited the Sharks short side as Italian international Edoardo Todaro blazed down the wing to secure Saints a try scoring bonus point. Belleau missed the conversion leaving Saints to lead by four.

In an encounter where attack is on form, Sale secured their bonus point as a maul that became a mess brought the Saints defenders in really narrow. This was exploited by Rob du Preez who put a cross field kick on a plate for O’Flaherty who dotted down for his brace. Ford’s conversion gave Sale a three point lead just after the hour.

Within a matter of seconds, Dowson’s men replied. A poor kick chase from Sale allowed for Chick to break through the Sale defence, with Mitchell on his shoulder he got brought down just inside the Sharks 22 before offloading to Kemeny who scored in the corner to regain the lead and topple the 30 point mark.

The tempo the Saints replacements have brought to the game allowed the visitors to turn the screw. However, it was a man who is sent to go the full duration in Alex Coles who put the hosts to the sword as the lock burrowed his way over from short range after lots of phase play in the close quarters. George Furbank’s attempt at the uprights sailed narrowly wide.

With the game entering its dying embers, Henry Pollock gathered a loose ball and scorched down the touchline to put the visitors over the 40 point mark. Furbank was this time successful off the tee. 26-43.