Teams Up: Sale v Saints
By Saint Ted
November 19 2020
Alex Waller returns to skipper Northampton Saints on his first competitive appearance for nine months, as the men in Black, Green and Gold travel to Sale Sharks for their Gallagher Premiership opener
SALE SHARKS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Round 1
Friday 20 November 2020
AJ Bell Stadium
Kick-off: 8pm
15 George Furbank
14 Ahsee Tuala
13 Matt Proctor
12 Piers Francis
11 Tom Collins
10 James Grayson
9 Henry Taylor
1 Alex Waller (c)
2 James Fish
3 Paul Hill
4 Alex Moon
5 Api Ratuniyarawa
6 Nick Isiekwe
7 Tom Wood
8 Teimana Harrison
Replacements:
16 Reece Marshall
17 Nick Auterac
18 Owen Franks
19 David Ribbans
20 JJ Tonks
21 Alex Mitchell
22 Fraser Dingwall
23 Harry Mallinder
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales & Wayne Falla
No.4: Darryl Chapman
TMO: Trevor Fisher
Not available due to injury:
Mikey Haywood (knee), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (achilles), Rory Hutchinson (ankle), Courtney Lawes (ankle), Ollie Sleightholme (ankle), and Kayde Sylvester (achilles).
FULL STORY CAN BE FOUND OVER ON T'Offy
Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Marching On (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 12:06
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Sir Hector (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 12:20
Well I can’t find much to fault in that selection. Broadly what we all were hoping for/expecting. A bit of extra bulk up front and a solid defensive midfield. COYS!
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Saint Maul (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 12:38
It's just lovely to have some experienced looseheads back!
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Ady32 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 12:45
Also great to see Harry back, even if on the bench!
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: StBuckby (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 12:58
It’s a strong bench.
Very interested to see how the front 5 go....
Very interested to see how the front 5 go....
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: TimperleySaint (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 13:25
Hope the return of Wood and Waller helps the leadership
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Awaywin (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 13:50
With points being so vital I am hoping we can pick up at least one. It is great having a strong bench if we are still in contention when it is time to use them! Picking up something on the road at Sale will definitely be an improvement from the last couple of seasons.
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: LeicesterSaint (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 14:05
Like to look of that, good to see Waller and Wood back and seconded on the experience/leadership front. That's definitely the most defensively sound centre pairing but neither exactly one dimensional in attack either, plus Francis should help Grays out with a second boot and pair of eyes. Also great to see Harry back, just really hope it's not too soon again and he can put together a run of form, I'd kinda like to see him on one wing and big T on the other at some point....
Fingers crossed......
Fingers crossed......
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: TunbridgeSaint (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 14:06
Good looking side and much stronger pack, you think that with Van Wyk, Haywood, Lawes, Ludlum, Adendorff all to come back into the thinking for the matchday squad we will be much for competitive upfront this season. Plus add in Biggar, Hutchinson, Big T, a fully fit Mallinder and we've got some good options in the backs too. Possibly cause for cautious optimism?
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: saint krige (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 15:05
I can't help but feel that we're a really lightweight, small team. I just don't see us being able to compete physically with most of the teams.
Our back 3 without Big T is very average, poses little threat imo. What we would do for Fodes, Ashton and Bruce right now!
Our back 3 without Big T is very average, poses little threat imo. What we would do for Fodes, Ashton and Bruce right now!
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Howling Howler (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 15:11
When I first saw the fixture list several weeks ago I would have put money on the Saints winning this one - Particularly with Sale having a small squad and losing their half dozen plus South Africans in November / early December to international matches . Sale rather fortunate that with all SA matches cancelled for rest of 2020 they will now be at a covid creating advantage to other premiership clubs over the next 4/5 weeks ! It would be great for Saints to get a point out of this match but I cannot see it .
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: HammerSaint (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 16:29
We won't win without a 9 and a 10! ![[:wor kid:]](/phorum-5.1.15/mods/smileys/images/13.gif "[:wor kid:]")
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: LeicesterSaint (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 16:44
I'm not convinced that the starting pack is small - the exception being 'little' T at 8, but overall there are some big units in there.
I'm excited to see Sleights back fit and firing in the back three but Collins has been pretty good when he's been fit and Big T just needs confidence and the team to fire and he'll be back to mincing opposition wingers (and the occasional England No8) in no time!
I'm excited to see Sleights back fit and firing in the back three but Collins has been pretty good when he's been fit and Big T just needs confidence and the team to fire and he'll be back to mincing opposition wingers (and the occasional England No8) in no time!
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Neil-H (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 16:50
Hope I am wrong, but think the pack will get beat up..... and we carry on where we left off, that is a big nasty pack Sale have got similar to what Ackerman was trying to build his team around.
Anything from this game would be good... hope it’s dry!
Anything from this game would be good... hope it’s dry!
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Saintfanh (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 17:55
Squads looks good. Think in particularly this is our best centre combination. Are Big T and Adendorff not picked for tactical reasons given they're not on the list of injured players?
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Santiago (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 19:30
Quote:LeicesterSaint
I'm excited to see Sleights back fit and firing in the back three
But he's not - still listed as injured ankle.
But really good that Harry is back
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: WesternWanderer (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 20:49
Generally happy with team but Isiekwe is not a 6 - really talented lock, but never a 6. The lack of balance to our backrow is worrying. Hopefully when Lewis is back we'll play with a proper 6, 7 & 8 (oh we're missing one of those too)
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Dragonboy (IP Logged)
Date: 19/11/2020 21:48
Quote:HammerSaint
We won't win without a 9 and a 10!
I actually think we looked better with James at 10 in the post lockdown period. I was very disappointed with Dan Bigger last season and rather than mouthing off at referees he would have served us better by upping his game and leading from the front.
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: TimperleySaint (IP Logged)
Date: 20/11/2020 07:39
Quote:WesternWanderer
Generally happy with team but Isiekwe is not a 6 - really talented lock, but never a 6. The lack of balance to our backrow is worrying. Hopefully when Lewis is back we'll play with a proper 6, 7 & 8 (oh we're missing one of those too)
I agree. Lawes at 6 for England worked really well. Him at 6 for saints has never worked that well. Especially with the new breakdown rules.
Isiekwe has played 6 loads of times for Saracens and I suspect is there for power or weight reasons but I agree that it imbalances the back row.
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: saint buck (IP Logged)
Date: 20/11/2020 09:35
a side with no big t not good and adendorff who looked very good in limited time last season.dont see where tries are coming from i fear another big lose hate feeeling this way.looking through the senior squad for this season and noticed we have 7 hookers can somebody tell me why and could we not have improved our squad in other areas.
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: Deesaint (IP Logged)
Date: 20/11/2020 10:35
Not sure blaming individual players for our poor performance is the way to go.
It is also amazing how different people see things.
I see Dan Biggar sitting behind a bunch of forwards who are constantly going backwards. Very little front foot quick ball allowing him to manage the game.
We are missing a 9 that can provide quick fast ball to give him time
Support from loose forwards is non existing so he is having to make tacke after tackle of the big heavy runners hitting his chanel.
He is constantly sweeping behind the centres looking to cover any breech of the line.
I see him leading from the front attempting to put things right, but it is a 15 man game.
Get the forwards right, get the defence right and the rest will catch up.
Ask Argentina
It is also amazing how different people see things.
I see Dan Biggar sitting behind a bunch of forwards who are constantly going backwards. Very little front foot quick ball allowing him to manage the game.
We are missing a 9 that can provide quick fast ball to give him time
Support from loose forwards is non existing so he is having to make tacke after tackle of the big heavy runners hitting his chanel.
He is constantly sweeping behind the centres looking to cover any breech of the line.
I see him leading from the front attempting to put things right, but it is a 15 man game.
Get the forwards right, get the defence right and the rest will catch up.
Ask Argentina
Re: Teams Up: Sale v Saints
Posted by: StBuckby (IP Logged)
Date: 20/11/2020 11:43
Perfectly summed up. Hopefully Sale’s coaches, which I think are their weak link, gives us a chance tonight. Seems slim, bookies say we lose by 13.
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