Northampton Saints vs Sale Sharks

Saints are defending hard but Sale still have the ball.

Time's up here as we take the lineout and Sale push on.

Saints defend hard but the penalty goes Sale's way and MacGinty clears to touch.

Saints secure the lineout and begin to push from close range. 

Taylor replaces James as we set the lineout.

James sends the ball over the top and it bobbles into touch. Lineout Sale.

Saints hold Sale's maul and then force the away side to knock on just after. James clears well and Sale return. Saints play on again.

James sends the ball high and Sale play on again. MacGinty sends the crossfield over but Sleightholme manages to tap it into touch before a Sale hand can reach it. Lineout Sale on Saints' 22.

Coles secures the lineout and Saints push on.They work hard before Grayson sends a chip over the top. Sale get there first and Quirke boxes clear. Freeman is there and Saints play on again.

Tonks gets over the ball this time though and the penalty goes Saints way. Grayson sends it to touch for a lineout deep in Sale's half. 

Saints push forwards off the lineout and work hard to edge forwards but Sale get over the ball and earn the penalty. MacGinty sends it to touch.

Saints secure the high ball this time as MacGinty sends it high but with a scrum advantage coming for Saints, we come back for it on the halfway line.

Sale secure the restart and Quirke boxes high. Saints get under it but knock on there and Sale play on. 

Sale maul again and though Saints defend hard, Sale think they're over.

Sale maul forwards and Dan Du Preez thinks he's over the line but he's held up. There's a penalty advantage for Sale in the build up though and we come back for it. MacGinty sends it to the corner again. 

Ratuniyarawa replaces Moon as we set the lineout.

Eventually we come back for it and MacGinty sends it into the corner. 

Grayson clears the restart and Sale come back at Saints hard. They work up to the 22 and have an advantage coming now. 

Tonks is up for the lineout and Haywood pushes forwards off the back of it. Saints work into the 22 before earning a penalty as Coles is tipped in the tackle. Grayson points to the posts.

De Klerk clears again but this one heads straight out and we come all the way back to Sale's 22 for a Saints lineout.

Sale secure the restart and De Klerk clears but the ball bounces back Sale's way and they play on as the rain starts to come down hard here at the Gardens. 

Saints clear the restart but are found offside and MacGinty sends the resulting penalty to the corner.

Penalty Saints at the scrum as Sale collapse the scrum. Grayson points to the posts with another long-range effort. 

Saints secure the lineout and maul forwards before James sends it high. Sale get their first but knock the ball on just after and Saints will have the scrum on halfway. 

Sale come back at Saints from the restart but they lose the ball into touch. Lineout Saints just outside their own 22. 

Haywood, Auterac and Hill replace Marshall, Waller and Painter as we restart. 

MacGinty sends the kick wide though and we restart with a 22 drop for Saints. 

A good shove from Saints but the penalty goes Sale's way. They point to the posts.

Tonks replaces Ludlam, who took a nasty knock to the head in the buildup to the knock on. Go easy, skipper.

Strong at the scrum from Saints but Sale keep the ball. They come forwards and though Saints strip the ball in the tackle, the ball comes forwards. Scrum Sale. 

Saints push from deep with the restart but Sleightholme knocks on in contact and Sale will have the scrum. 

Penalty Saints at the lineout and Grayson points to the posts.

Sale collect the lineout and whip it wide to Reed but the winger's hack through heads straight out and Saints have the lineout on halfway. 

Coles is up for the lineout and Saints push before Grayson sends the cross field over the Sleightholme. The winger can't quite get a hand to it though and it heads into touch. Lineout Sale. 

Penalty Saints at the scrum as Sale push early at the scrum. Grayson sends it to touch for a lineout near halfway. 

Sale push forwards but Saints defend well and earn the scrum. 

James boxes clears off the restart but his kick is charged down and Ross collects the loose ball. Sale push up to the five metre line now.

MacGinty gets things restarted here at the Gardens!

Sale secure the lineout but Saints turn the ball over just after and James boxes high. More aerial tennis ensues before Saints play on.

Grayson sends a high ball up as Saints' advances slow and Sale struggle to come forwards. De Klerk sends it high again and Saints push forwards. They try to come wide to Sleightholme but the ball heads into touch instead of the winger's hands. 

Wood is up for the lineout and Saints play on. Grayson sends a chip through and Sale send it high too. Saints eventually stop the aerial tennis as Grayson sends the cross field kick over to Freeman and the home side push into Sale's half.

Sale look to maul off the back of the lineout but Saints halt it and De Klerk sends it high. Furbank sends it back to him and De Klerk clears under intense pressure from Freeman. Lineout Saints on halfway. 

Freeman takes the restart and James clears long to touch. Lineout Sale on halfway. 

Saints charge forwards off the lineout before Grayson chips over the top for Francis to take but Hammersley just gets their first. Dingwall puts in a huge hit on the fullback though and Saints earn the penalty just after. Grayson points to the posts.

Dingwall intercepts the ball though and Saints push forwards. Freeman finds himself with the ball out wide. He chips over the top and chases but Sale get their first and De Klerk clears to touch. Lineout Saints on halfway. 

Scrappy at the lineout but Sale manage to hold onto it. They push into Saints' 22 and keep coming. 

Sale return Saints' high kick and James boxes clear from deep. Lineout Sale on Saints' 22. 

Sale steal the lineout again and hack through to space behind but the kick is too long and Saints have the 22 drop out.

Saints come forwards and Sale are penalised for a deliberate knock on. Grayson sends it to touch for a lineout inside Sale's half.

Wood takes the lineout and Saints maul forwards before James boxes high. Freeman gets under it but the winger is pushed into touch. The ball is deemed to have come off Sale hands though and Saints have the lineout again. 

Sale steal this lineout though and De Klerk clears again. Freeman can't get to it before it heads into touch and Saints have the lineout back in their own 22. 

Scrappy at the lineout but Sale just keep hold of it. De Klerk clears and Saints have the lineout on halfway. 

Freeman chases James' clearing kick but Sale get their first. They return it Saints' way and the home side push on. Harrison finds Freeman with a great offload and the winger sets James free. the scrum-half dinks the ball through and chases but the ball heads into touch before he can get there. Lineout Sale on their own five-metre.

Sale disrupt the lineout once again and De Klerk boxes high. Freeman is back to collect it and Saints push on at the halfway line again.

James boxes high again and though Sale get their first, Saints earn a penalty there. Grayson sends it into the corner once more. 

Sleightholme returns as we set the lineout and Saints begin to push forwards off the back of it. Grayson sends the ball high and exchanges kicks with Reed before Saints are forced to play on my Sale's rush defence. 

James clears but as the ball was touched on the way into the air, it's Saints' lineout. 

No conversion from Grayson out wide but Freeman collects the restart and Saints play on.

Lovely sweeping move from Saints and Freeman is racing towards the line. He's taken down just short but Saints think they've got over through Harrison and we're with the TMO to check.

Francis charges forwards off the scrum and Saints push forwards to the right with an advantage coming. Eventually we come back for it and Grayson sends it to touch for a lineout on Sale's 22. 

The away side knock on in the lineout though and we'll have another Saints scrum. 

More solid at the scrum this time and Saints use quickly. The ball bobbles into touch though and it's a lineout for Sale.

Sale disrupt the lineout though and play on themselves. But Saints defence holds firm and eventually the rewards come for that as Sale knock on. Scrum Saints.

A huge shove from the Saints pack and they earn the penalty! Grayson sends it to touch for a lineout near halfway. 

Sale do get over the whitewash but Saints manage to hold them up over the line and we come back for a five metre scrum for the guests.

Sale secure the lineout and look to maul forwards but it comes down just short. Sale start to push from close range.

James sends the resulting penalty into the corner for a lineout inside Saints' 22. 

Sale work their way into the 22 and have another advantage coming as Saints are found offside in the midfield. 

Coles is up for the lineout and Saints push the maul forwards but as James whips the ball out, it heads into touch. Lineout Sale. 

Good defence for Saints though and they earn the penalty at the breakdown. Grayson clears to touch for a lineout back outside the 22.

Penalty advantage coming for Sale and eventually we come back for it. MacGinty sends it into the corner.

Sale secure the lineout and a swift move finds them in Saints' 22 and pushing. 

Free kick Saints at the scrum though and James goes quickly. Saints push forwards before the scrum-half sends the ball high and Sale get under it. They earn a penalty there too though and clear for another lineout on halfway.

Not straight at the lineout from Sale though and Saints get the put in at the scrum. 

Sale collect the kick-off and prepare to clear their lines up earn the penalty there. MacGinty clears to touch for a lineout near halfway.