Starting Lineup
12
Reuben Bird-Tulloch
11
Ryan Olowofela
10
James Grayson
9
Connor Tupai
1
Ben Franks
2
Michael van Vuuren
5
Lewis Bean
6
Tom Wood
7
Teimana Harrison
8
Mitch Eadie
Subs
16
James Fish
17
Will Davis
18
Ehren Painter
19
Devante Onojaife
20
Tui Uru
21
Henry Taylor
22
Tommy Mathews
23
Fraser Strachan
Opposition Lineup
15
Simon Hammersley
14
Denny Solomona
13
Sam James
12
Rohan Janse van Rensburg
11
Chris Ashton
10
Robert du Preez
9
Gus Warr
1
Ross Harrison
2
Rob Webber
3
Jake Cooper-Woolley
4
Josh Beaumont
5
James Phillips
6
Jean-Luc du Preez
7
Ben Curry
8
Dan Du Preez
Subs
16
Armand van der Merwe
17
Bevan Rodd
18
Will-Griff John
19
Bryn Evans
20
Matt Postlethwaite
21
Embrose Papier
22
Luke James
23
Byron McGuigan
| pos | team | team name | pld | w | d | l | f | a | diff | tf | ta | tb | lb | pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | | Sale SharksSAL | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 77 | 49 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
4 |  | Northampton SaintsNOR | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 109 | 151 | -42 | 15 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
Full Time
Sale Sharks
39
Northampton Saints
18
FULL TIME
Mathews finds touch and that's that. Sharks take the win but Chris Boyd's young Saints more than held their own against a far more experienced outfit. Next up is Wasps at home in seven days time as the Premiership Rugby Cup continues. See you at the Gardens!
78
Sharks with possession as the clock runs down. Saints defending resolutely to keep them out in the dying embers of this match.
...and Mathews hits the conversion
First points in BG&G for Saint #2018!
TRYYYYY ALEX COLES!
Sale strip the ball and clear before Freeman returns it with some interest. Mathews then sends a delightful chip across the field to Tupai, who carries forwards into the Sale 22. The ball is worked to Coles who steps his man and finishes nicely under the posts. An excellent score from Saints!
71
Conversion is missed this time by Rob du Preez from the touchline. Mitch Eadie makes a superb tackle to force a knock-on and Saints run a brilliant move from the scrum! Mathews and Sleightholme make ground before a penalty is awarded and the fly-half sends the ball into touch on the 22.
Try Sale
Sale's experience starting to show as Hammersley grabs his second thanks to a break from Scotland international Byron McGuigan.
67
More changes for Saints as Tommy Mathews and Tui Uru come on for Grayson and Bean.
Du Preez' conversion is good
Try Sale
But the hosts hit straight back with a try. Bevan Rodd escapes a tackle and offloads for Akker van der Merwe to score.
Penalty Grayson
Another whistle in front of the posts and this time Northampton elect to take the points with Grayson making no mistake.
61
Northampton have dominated possession the last ten minutes and the penalties are stacking up against the hosts. A no arms tackle brings Saints up to the five-metre mark.
59
Lots of possession for Saints now but Sharks are holding firm. Ben Franks and Fraser Dingwall are replaced by Will Davis and Fraser Strachan.
58
Saints build some phases again but with no holes opening up Grayson sends the ball long. It comes back to halfway and Northampton make some ground. Devante Onojaife is thrust into the action in place of Tom Wood.
...Du Preez adds the extras
Try Sale
Chris Ashton is the beneficiary of Rob du Preez' break and he finishes off the try. Grounding looks suspicious but the score is given nonetheless.
51
Saints banging on the door again on the five-metre line with Wood and Fish carrying into a wall of bodies, but eventually the ball is held up and turned over. Sharks clear to halfway.
49
On comes Henry Taylor for his full Northampton debut! He moves to scrum-half with Tupai moving out to the wing and Olowofela is the man to make way.
48
Dingwall, Coles and Eadie all combine as Saints make ground. But a loose pass sends the ball into touch. Not quite clicking for Boyd's men at the moment but signs are promising.
46
Good response from Saints as they win a penalty and Grayson fires it into the corner. Replacement James Fish throws in and Northampton start pounding away at the line, but Andrew Jackson blows his whistle saying Saints are in at the side and Sharks clear their lines.
42
...but the conversion is missed from Rob du Preez. Kicking into the breeze proving tricky for both sides.
Try Sale.
Sam James streaks clear after the ball came loose in midfield. A far from ideal start to the second half for Boyd's men who find themselves 12 points back.
41
Scratch that...Ehren Painter has snuck on at tighthead for the start of the second half!
41
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
Here come the sides for the second half and with no changes for either, Grayson gets us underway. COME ON YOU SAINTS.
HALF-TIME
Harrison's score is the final meaningful action of the half. Saints' youngsters have stood up well against plenty of pressure from the hosts and are within touching distance at the interval.
New GIFs alert!
39
...but Grayson's conversion is caught by the wind and drifts to the right of the posts.
TRYYYY SAINTS
Out of nowhere Saints burst through and score! It's that man Sleightholme with the break and he offloads to Dingwall, before Harrison arrives on the shoulder to finish!! Brilliant time to score!
36
Saints lineout goes awry but Sale are called back for a forward pass and it's as you were. All turned a bit scrappy the last few minutes.
34
Another huge hit comes in from Sale, this time it's Van Rensburg on Grayson, and the hosts have a scrum for a knock-on. But Ben Franks wins the visitors a penalty and Grayson finds touch inside the Sharks' half!
32
...but Grayson drags the kick just left of the posts in the swirling wind. Unlucky.
31
Sale go offside and then there's a few afters between Harrison and Jean-Luc du Preez. Referee Jackson calms everything down and the tee comes on for Grayson...
Penalty Try for Sale
Sale's big forward pack causes carnage in this scrum, and Andrew Jackson is so confident a Saints infringement prevents a score that he goes under the sticks.
27
Handling error from Saints in the middle of the park almost leads to a Sale try as the ball goes loose and his kicked towards the try line, but Sleightholme is there again to cover the danger! Sale now with the scrum on the five-metre line...
24
But Sale knock on into touch, allowing Saints to clear their lines and another superb chase from Sleightholme sees the young wing force a turnover!
23
Saints are stripped of possession and another chip through from Sam James is collected by Freeman who has been solid in defence. But Northampton are then penalised at the scrum and the hosts opt for another...
PENALTY GRAYSON!
No mistake from Jimmy!
19
Saints have the advantage again and Grayson tries a chip towards Olowofela in the corner but it's just too long. Referee Andrew Jackson brings play back and Grayson has a penalty from bang in front!
17
Ashton is caught offside and after some backchat Saints are marched up another ten metres towards the 22. Grayson sends the ball towards the corner with the penalty...
15
Sale's put in for a scrum on halfway and Saints hold their ground well on this occasion. The hosts hack forward and Coles is there under his own posts to gather the ball well. Tupai clears well and Sleightholme smashes Solomona to the deck.
Penalty Sale
Freeman is pinged for holding on and Rob du Preez extends the hosts' lead from around 25 metres out.
10
Saints go through the phases again well with Wood and Bean carrying well and Bird-Tulloch also getting through some work. Du Preez kicks forward but it travels into the in goal area and Sleightholme touches down for Grayson to clear.
8
Off the post!
Rob du Preez's conversion is no good as it rattles the upright!
Try Sale
Great shove from Saints keeps the lineout drive at bay, but as Sharks spread the ball wide Hammersley is in plenty of room and finishes well to the left of the posts....
6
Harrison forces a superb turnover inside the 22 after Olowofela makes a nuisance of himself, but Sale attack again after Saints clear their lines and another penalty sees them back into the corner.
4
Sale's pack makes their presence felt with the game's opening scrum and win a penalty which Rob du Preez sends into the corner. Lineout on the five-metre for the hosts.
1
Excellent box kick from Tupai allows Olowofela to drag Solomona into touch for a Saints lineout. The men in BG&G go through the phases until Bean makes a good break, but Olowofela as on the receiving end of a massive hit and is unlucky to knock on.
WE ARE UNDERWAY
Northampton's 2019/20 season is officially up and running as Rob du Preez sends the ball high up into the air! COME ON YOU SAINTS.
0
Kick-off moments away
We're live from the AJ Bell Stadium for Saints' first match of their Premiership Rugby Cup title defence! Teams on their way out onto the sun-drenched pitch...