Northampton bounced back from a double try blow in the opening 10 minutes to
beat dangerous Sale and keep the pressure on Leicester at the top of the
Premiership.
The Northerners caught Saints cold and hit them with a sixth-minute try from
centre Jos Baxendale after only six minutes in a move launched by new England
winger Jason Robinson, who started at full-back.
Two minutes later Robinson scored a brilliant try of his own from 30 metres
out with Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson converting both, joint-second Saints
found themselves 14 points adrift.
Northampton included Pat Lam, who leaves at the end of the season and had been
named initially on substitutes' bench only to reclaim his back row position when
Grant Seeley pulled a hamstring in training on Friday.
Saints clawed their way back into the game with four penalties before the
interval from Paul Grayson, playing alongside his former England half-back
partner Matt Dawson for the first time since last October.
The Northampton pack came out with all guns firing in the second half and lock
Tim Rodber was driven over for a try within four minutes of the restart.
Ahead for the first time, Saints stretched their lead to 10 points with a
52nd-minute try from Scotland flanker Budge Pountney.
Sale, always a threat with the ball in their hands, clawed back nine points
from the boot of Hodgson before England wing Ben Cohen settled it with a
75th-minute try.
Teams:
Northampton: Beal, Shaw, Bateman, Leslie, Cohen, Grayson,
Dawson, Pagel, Thompson, Stewart, Newman, Rodber, Blowers,
Pountney, Lam.
Replacements: Richmond for Thompson (10),
Hunter for Rodber (78), Rennick for Pountney (79).
Not Used: Todd, Malone, Brooks, Martin.
Tries: Rodber, Pountney, Cohen.
Cons: Grayson.
Pens: Grayson 5.
Sale: Robinson, Moore, Baxendell, Harris, Hanley, Hodgson,
Redpath, Bell, Titterrell, Thiel, Lines, Anglesea, Appleyard,
Morris, Perelini.
Replacements: Jackman for Titterrell (52),
Manson-Bishop for Morris (52).
Not Used: Hatley, Little, Shaw, Wilks, Black.
Tries: Baxendell, Robinson.
Cons: Hodgson 2.
Pens: Hodgson 4.
Sin Bin: Anglesea (47).
Att: 7,849
Ref: Tony Spreadbury (RFU).