Northampton Saints' charge towards the Zurich Premier League play-offs
gathered momentum following a convincing 51-12 victory over troubled Sale Sharks
who have now collected only one league win from their past six games.
The Saints now possess a far better win ratio with five victories from their
last six outings.
Saints got off to the best possible start when Bruce Reihana scooped up a
loose ball to score the first of his side's four first-half tries after Darren
Fox's charge to the line had been stopped by Chris Mayor.
And Franklin's Gardens was back on its feet two minutes later when Grant Seely
took the quick lineout ball and shimmied his way past Sale's last line of
defence with Shane Drahm once again adding the extras.
Sale's first sight of the Saints line came on 20 minutes when Vaughan Going
began a flowing Sale move before play was switched to the other side where Phil
Davies almost lost the ball before Steve Hanley took the move on and crossed in
the corner.
With their tails up, Sale were denied a legitimate try when Mark Cueto touched
down but the try was ruled out by referee Roy Maybank who wrongly judged that
the ball had been thrown forward.
Seconds later Going broke clear after the Saints had failed to clear their
line and this time the try was given. Mike Hercus held his nerve in the swirling
wind to nail the conversion as Sale clawed their way back into the game at
14-12.
Having dominated the game for 10 minutes, Sale's brittle defence was exposed
when Graeme Bond missed a tackle in the centre of the pitch beginning a Saints
move which ended with Reihana diving over in the corner for his second try in
the opening half.
And having watched Hercus nail his difficult conversion Drahm matched the feat
with a kick of equal quality.
Deep into stoppage time Mark Tucker secured his side a bonus point as the half
ended with the Saints 28-12 ahead.
The second period failed to provide the excitement of the opening 40 minutes
and any sort of a Sale comeback ended with Drahm's 47th-minute penalty sending
his side into an unassailable 31-12 lead.
There was clearly no way back for an out-of-sorts Sale when Drahm's deft pass
found Oriol Ripol who plunged over for his side's fifth try of the contest.
Saints were rampant now and 15 minutes later replacement Johnny Howard left a
bemused Sale defence in his wake following a series of five-metre scrums to send
his side past the 40-point mark.
With the visitors in complete disarray, Mark Soden was driven over in the
corner for Northampton's seventh try with Steve Williams adding try number eight
deep into stoppage time.
Teams:
Northampton: Reihana, Tucker, Hyndman, Leslie, Ripol, Drahm,
Robinson, Budgen, Richmond, Morris, Lord, Hunter, Blowers, Fox,
Seely.
Replacements: Diggin for Hyndman (79), Vilk for Leslie (65),
Howard for Robinson (64), Sturgess for Morris (79),
Williams for Hunter (42), Miles for Blowers (79),
Soden for Seely (65).
Tries: Reihana 2, Seely, Tucker, Ripol, Howard,
Soden, Williams.
Cons: Drahm 4.
Pens: Drahm.
Sale: Going, Cueto, Mayor, Bond, Hanley, Hercus, Benton,
Sheridan, Cairns, Stewart, Fullarton, Schofield, Lloyd,
Perrett, Davies.
Replacements: Baxendell for Bond (60),
Simpson-Daniel for Benton (67), Yates for Sheridan (65),
Roddam. for Cairns (65), Turner for Stewart (55),
Anglesea for Lloyd (48), Newton for Davies (79).
Tries: Hanley, Going.
Cons: Hercus.
Att: 11,756
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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