Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints

Saints earn a penalty and Mitchell takes it quickly. Saints keep pushing with the clock dead. 

Sleightholme is there for the restart and the ball comes wide to Kellaway. Saints work their way out of their own 22 and keep pushing. But an offload finds Solomona's hands and Sale play on.

A huge scrum from Saints and Ludlam gets on the ball. Naiyaravoro breaks through the middle and Saints earn the penalty in front of the posts. Grayson points to them.

Saints slowly come forwards but Sale are awarded a scrum as Saints are deemed to have knocked on in the breakdown.

Gibson gets up to get the ball back in Saints' hands off the restart and Saints come forwards well. But Sale turn the ball over and clear. Mitchell is there and Saints play on.

Sale play quickly and James breaks through the middle. They earn a penalty as Kellaway is pinged for a high tackle. Du Preez points to the posts. 

Barrow and Mitchell enter play as we set for the scrum, with Moon and Reinach taking their leave.

Eadie picks and goes off the base of the scrum and Saints' forwards play the phases to get the side forwards. Reinach boxes and though Sleightholme is there he knocks the ball on in the air. Scrum Sale.

The ball comes wide but O'Connor knock on. Scrum Saints on their own 22.

Eadie is there for the overthrow and Grayson clears. Solomona is there to keep the ball in though and Sale play on. Burrell and Ludlam  team up to slow things down and Saints begin to defend once again.

Eadie replaces Harrison as we set for the lineout.

Sale get within inches but Saints push them back. Reed is nearly through but Naiyaravoro holds him up and pushes his opposite into touch. Lineout Saints on their own five metre.

Saints slow Sale's progress for a time but James just breaks through. Saints take the ball down on the five metre though and begin to defend again.

Sale maul but make little ground and De Klerk breaks away. The ball comes wide to Reed but Sleightholme takes him. Sale push in Saints' 22 now.

Saints come wide and Dingwall chips through but it goes dead. Lineout Sale.

Moon is up for the lineout and he's taken in the air. Penalty Saints and Grayson sends it to touch. Lineout Saints back near halfway.

Saints do well to hold Sale's maul and the home side have to bring the ball out. They come wide before De Klerk chips over the top. Reed is in chase but the ball finds touch. Lineout Saints in their own 22.

Ratuniyarawa is up for the lineout and Reinach boxes clear but it goes straight out. Lineout Sale.

Sale look to maul the lineout but get nowhere. De Klerk clears and it just bounces before it finds touch. Lineout Saints on their own 22.

Harrison scoops the ball off the base but Sale earn the penalty at the next breakdown. Du prize sends it to touch for a lineout on halfway.

Saints come forwards but the ball hits the referee and we'll have a scrum. 

All change for Saints; Marshall, Van Wyk, Franks and Gibson replace Fish, Waller, Hill and Wood respectively. 

... sends the conversion wide though.

Sale look to come forwards strongly but a chip over the top finds Sleightholme's hands. Reinach clears and Sale get there first. They come wide and a chip over the top finds O'Connor's hands. The ball comes back the other way where there's space...

Kellaway is there for the restart and he clears. Lineout Sale back at halfway. 

... sends the kick wide from the touchline though.

Saints come forwards strongly and the ball comes out to the midfield. Saints push their way into Sale's 22 and are still coming. 

Saints comes forwards off the scrum and Reinach boxes. Sale are there but Sleightholme is with them for the tackle. Sale play on before Du Preez clears. His kick goes straight out though and Saints have the lineout just outside Sale's 22. 

Scrappy from Sale and Saints come forwards in defence. They lose the ball forwards and Saints will have the scrum. 

De Klerk uses the ball quickly off the quickly but Sale knock on. Burrell scoops up the ball and makes it up to halfway. The ball comes wide to Kellaway but the pass is deemed forwards. Scrum Sale.

A sold scrum from Saints and Sale come forwards. De Klerk boxes and Naiyaravoro is there but loses control of the high ball. Scrum Sale. 

Saints take the restart and though Saints hold them up, Sale have the scrum as Moon is deemed to have knocked on.

Moon is up for the lineout and Reinach boxes. Sale just get there first and Reed scoots through. Sale are up to Saints' five metre again now. The home side earn a penalty there and Du Preez points to the posts. 

But Sale keep coming and eventually break into Saints' 22. But Sleightholme gets over the ball and Saints have the penalty. Grayson clears for a lineout.

Saints defence is good as Sale come at them from the off in this half.

Saints defence is good as Sale come at them from the off in this half.

Grayson's clearing kick doesn't make many yards and Sale have the lineout just outside Saints' 22. 

And Du Preez gets us restarted here at the AJ Bell!

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

Sale come wide quickly but Reinach gets the ball as it comes of his opposite's face into his hands. Reinach chases his own chip but knocks on. Sale clear but Kellaway is there. Saints come forwards again but their chip through goes dead. Sale opt for the scrum.

Saints come forwards again but the ball comes forwards in contact and Sale have the scrum. 

Furbank - who took a bit hit in the build up to the penalty - is replaced by Sleightholme as we restart.

Penalty Saints says the TMO as Ross blocks Harrison in the build up.Grayson sends it to touch for a lineout.

Sale have space out wide but they butcher their chance and Saints turn over. Grayson clears and James is there. Solomona looks to have broken through and dots down but we're with the TMO. 

Saints whip the ball wide and Kellaway comes forwards but the ball is lost forwards there and Sale play on. De Klerk chips over the top and Sale are within inches.

Sale maul from the lineout and make it into Saints' 22 but are held up there. Scrum Saints.

Harrison scoops the ball from the base but is quickly taken down by De Klerk and Sale earn the penalty there. Du Preez sends it to touch. Lineout Sale back in Saints' half. 

Sale look to whip the ball wide but a he hit from Burrell on O'Connor slows things. And eventually Saints earn the scrum for their efforts as Sale knock on. 

A solid scrum from Saint and they come wide quickly. The ball gets to Naiyaravoro but he's pushed into touch. Lineout Sale near halfway. 

Saints defend well though and Dingwall puts in a huge hit to earn Saints the scrum. 

Sale attack quickly off the lineout again. The ball comes wide to Solomona again and Sale work their way back into Saints' 22. 

Wood steals the lineout and Saints whip it wide quickly. Naiyaravoro's offload finds Sale hands though and they play on. The home side chip over the top and Saints are forced to clear from their own line. Lineout Sale back outside Saints' 22.

Wood feeds Reinach off the top of the lineout and Saints are attacking again. But Sale get over the ball and earn a penalty. Du Preez sends it to touch for a lineout in Saints' 22. 

Saints defend hard and though Sale keep coming, the away side earn the penalty. Grayson sends it to touch. Lineout Saints inside Sale's half. 

De Klerk takes off following the scrum and Sale are quickly back in Saints' 22. Saints scramble back well though. Sale come wide the other way but struggle to make it back over Saints' 22 line.

Wood is up for the lineout and Saints' forwards take the ball one after. Naiyaravoro gets Saints into Sale's 22 but he loses the ball forwards. Sale clear and Reinach is there. Saints start working forwards but are pushed into touch. Lineout Sale.

Grayson sends the ball into touch again and Saints will have the lineout just outside Sale's 22. 

Sale go short at the lineout but Saints earn the penalty straight after. 

Sale come forwards but Saints are there. De Klerk clears and though Kellaway tries to keep it in Sale will have the lineout.

Saints work hard but Sale get over the ball and earn the penalty. Du Preez sends it to touch but it doesn't make it. Naiyaravoro is there. He comes forwards before feeding Reinach but the scrum-half's offload back inside to the wing is forward. Scrum Sale.

Harrison breaks off the back of the lineout and Saints are within inches now...

Penalty Saints at the lineout and Grayson sends it into the corner again.

Penalty Saints at the scrum and Grayson sends it deep into touch. Lineout Saints in Sale's 22. 

Sale come wide from the restart looking for space. Solomon makes some ground but Grayson is there. Sale come back inside but knock on. Scrum Saints on halfway.

Sale maul again but it comes down short for the line. They keep pushing. 

Sale look to maul and have the advantage coming. They come wide left again and and Reed is over the whitewash but a forward pass has helped him get there. We come back for the original penalty. Sale go for the corner. 

Sale look to use the ball quickly off the lineout and come through the midfield. They work wide to the left looking for a space before coming back the other way. They chip through and though Kellaway is there, he's pushed into touch. Lineout Sale in Saints' 22. 

After a lengthy pause while John is stretchered off the pitch, Jones enters the field. Best wishes to the Sale tighthead.

Grayson clears well and Sale will have the lineout on halfway. 

Sale go short with the restart and just get a hand to it. They chip through but the ball finds touch and Saints have the lineout. 

No conversion from Grayson but what a start!

Sale clear the kick-off and Harrison is there. Saints come forwards.