Du Preez-led Sharks too good for Saints

MATCH REPORT: Tom Roebuck scored twice as Sale Sharks secured a thrilling 27-24 bonus-point win over defending champions Northampton Saints, which boosted their play-off hopes.

The England winger claimed a first-half brace as Alex Sanderson’s side saw off the feisty challenge of a Saints outfit, whose hopes of a top-four finish are fading fast.

This victory moves Sale into the top four – temporarily at least – as both teams scored four tries apiece in an entertaining tussle in Salford.

Sale made three changes to the side which won 39-15 at Newcastle last Friday as Tom Curry and Luke Cowan-Dickie returned to club duty after their Six Nations exploits.

Sam Bedlow also came back in at inside centre, while Northampton were boosted by the return of England duo Tommy Freeman and Alex Mitchell as Tom James earned a first start for the club at flyhalf in the absence of Fin Smith.

Northampton struggled to escape their own half during the opening exchanges and Sale led in the eighth minute when Roebuck latched onto George Ford’s long pass and attempted to force his way over the line.

He was denied by a strong challenge from Northampton’s James, who was sin binned for making head-on-head contact, while moments later, Tom O’Flaherty went over to open the scoring.

Freeman soon joined James in the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on and Sale soon had their second try.

O’Flaherty’s teasing kick inside the left channel found Curry and his inside pass sent Roebuck racing down the wing to score.

Ford converted to make it 12-0 but Northampton hit back in the 17th minute when Henry Pollock and Alex Coles combined to send Emmanuel Iyogun over in the left corner.

Mitchell failed to convert and Sale scored again when Joe Carpenter found Roebuck racing clear for his second down the left wing.

Northampton had their second try when Freeman showed his international class to scamper through a gap in the home defence and Mitchell added the extras.

Three minutes before the interval, Ford was sin binned for a head-on-head challenge on Burger Odendaal as Sale took a slender 17-12 lead into the break.

Shortly after the restart, Pollock scored a fine individual try when he chipped the ball down the right flank before regathering to touch down.

But Sale scored again soon after when prop Bevan Rodd went over from close range to restore their lead. Ford converted and then added a penalty.

Northampton captain Fraser Dingwall replied from close range late on and Mitchell added the extras to secure a losing bonus-point as Sale held on for victory in a tense finale.

The scorers:

For Sale Sharks:
Tries: O’Flaherty, Roebuck 2, Rodd
Cons: Ford 2
Pen: Ford

For Northampton Saints:
Tries: Iyogun, Freeman, Pollock, Dingwall
Cons: Mitchell 2

Teams:

Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez (captain), 12 Sam Bedlow, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 JL du Preez, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Ben Bamber, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Tadgh McElroy, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Nye Thomas, 22 Will Addison, 23 Arron Reed

Northampton Saints: 15 James Ramm, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Burger Odendaal, 12 Fraser Dingwall (captain), 11 George Hendy, 10 Tom James, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Angus Scott-Young, 6 Josh Kemeny, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Chunya Munga, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Emmanuel Iyogun
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Luke Green, 19 Temo Mayanavnaua, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Tom Pearson, 22 Jonny Weimann, 23 Tom Litchfield

Referee: Hamish Smales
Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace, John Meredith
TMO: Stuart Terheege