News : Sale succumb to Myler's accuracy in scrappy match
By Alan Bamford
February 19 2012
Saints may have felt themselves fortunate to be drawn twice against Sale during the international periods (on last season’s form) but Steve Diamond has pepped up the Sharks in more than one way. An awful last 20 saw Saints squander a lead in the Autumn and they followed this with an unconfident effort at Worcester.
Aviva Premiership Round 15
Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks
Saturday 18th February, Franklin's Gardens KO 3 p.m.
Since then the new players have bedded in well and taken on responsibility although there have been more losses to England. Improvement can be seen as the good effort at Castle Grim demonstrated last week. Sale has reverted to type with an attacking brand of rugby and this has led to players featuring in or near the Saxon’s squad. Stephen Myler returns for Saints, whether for tactical or psychological reasons I can’t be sure, and as a fan of both 10s I’m pleased to see him start.
With luck we may see both sides play with élan but how will 2 of the biggest props in the prem’ cope with ‘the scrum’?
Heavy pre match rain can only have been of use to Pitsford reservoir and kicking downhill Saints opened up a first 10 mins of scrappy play featuring Powell and Haywood tackling each other. Worried I wouldn’t have anything to write about I offered 20p to any sight of Powell passing. Sale were piling bodies into the breakdown and their line speed was quick but Saints 
stole the first line out (they were to trouble it throughout) and the first 2 scrums completed saw ‘Tiny’ both double up and lift ‘Buckle’ who never settled thereafter. SM and Macleod exchanged penalties for 3-3; Cato caught the resultant kick off and throughout a fine first half defended well and ran elusively as we said ‘yes now Cato’. Saints restart work was much improved on one occasion Brady caught one only to be mobbed by a bunch of Saints forwards.
Mr Garner took an age to stop the clock when Peel was injured. At 27 mins Powell flipped a 1 foot pass off the back of the scrum and I paid up (for the only time). Cato did well from a cross kick and Sale were finally caught offside, the driving maul from a line out resulted in another pen’ for 6-3. It was soon 9-3 and then another Sale scrum retreats and a heavy tackle from Lawes results in a turnover, a break from Pisi , Day feeds Cato, a bit early but at least it was space, and at the next ruck Sheridan is binned.12-3 from the kick as SM is kicking beautifully, 3 in a 10 minute period. Saints in control at set piece and Sale living off scraps but there are few because of the conditions. Half time, I have enough info’ for a ‘pink un’ style report so like a good journo’ I accept a beer offer.
Did Dimes have access to Sale at half time? They stormed out although a Day lineout and an inside ball to Vas’ from SM resulted in another penalty for 15-6 and a general warning to Sale. A great break from Leota needed a text book tackle from Digger but a penalty ensued during the scramble for 15-6. Saints then ran out of defence, a break from Tiny (best gam
e for some time) but Mooj spilled a pass and after a few phases Sale backs straightened and looped to get Cueto in at the corner.15-11 and Sale win the sin bin 6-8. Sheridan’s return is for the Buckle and the sale scrum improves slightly. This was awake up call and from a high Digger kick we swarmover the ruck for another pen’ and 18-11. Vas’ is high tackled by Tuitupou and Mr G after checking that his ‘touch’ doesn’t want to overrule him uses the yellow.
22 mins to go 18-11, 14 men and Saints game to lose especially if we keep playing rugby on our own 22. After a superb match, tackling, over the ball at ruck and throwing Haywood gives way for Long. Let’s hope that shoulder isn’t too serious. No doubt through lack of sleep Long concedes a ’dull’ penalty and we are now 18-14 and ‘lose’ this bin 0-3. Day hobbles off and PJD replaces Mooj; a scrum fight breaks out as the TV shows ‘cash for scraps’ adverts. We muller the re set scrum for another penalty and 21-14. SM also hobbles off with 7 to go and a deserved MOM with 7 from 8, some quite awkward kicks given the conditions.
Lamb plays confidently and the play sweeps across the field. Another line out steal and thrust from first Manoa then Pisi and a clever decision to drop goal from Lamb. That’s better, 4 to go and a cushion at 24-14. We look after the ball until conceding a penalty on halfway which Macleod does well to kick for the LBP at 24-17.
Jim sounded pleased with the win when interviewed and no wonder with 2 tough away matches coming up. But he was worried about MH’s shoulder and that we might lose Courts next week; he hopes to remain in the top 4 until ‘the cavalry comes back’. It was probably closer than it ought to have been (my report reverts from ‘Saints’ to ‘we’ even as I type), but Sale did well with what little primary ball they secured and we were missing 6 first choice starts.
Pleased to settle for that; we weren’t quite the sum of some excellent parts but that was no doubt a consequence of the conditions.
Attendance 13344.
SAINTS
15 Paul DIGGIN 14 Vasily ARTEMYEV 13 George PISI 12 James DOWNEY 11 Noah CATO 10 Stephen MYLER 9 Martin ROBERTS 1 Soane TONGA’UIHA2Mike HAYWOOD 3 Brian MUJATI 4 Samu MANOA 5 Christian DAY 6 Courtney LAWES 7 Calum CLARK (capt) 8 Roger WILSON
Replacements 16 Andy LONG 17 Alex WALLER 18 Paul DORAN JONES 19 Mark SORENSON 20 Ben NUTLEY 21 Ryan GLYNN 22 Ryan LAMB 23 Tom MAY
SHARKS
15. Rob Miller 14. Tom Brady 13. Johnny Leota 12. Sam Tuitupou (capt.) 11. Mark Cueto 10. Nick Macleod 9. Dwayne Peel 1. Andrew Sheridan 2. Marc Jones 3. Tony Buckley 4. Andrei Ostrikov 5. James Gaskell 6. Richie Vernon 7. David Seymour 8. Andy Powell
Replacements: 16.Joe Ward, 17.Ross Harrison, 18.Vadim Cobilas, 19.Kearnan Myall, 20.Mark Easter, 21.Cillian Willis, 22.Will Addison, 23.Luther Burrell.
Paul Doran Jones reaction:
Stephen Myler says:
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:02:19:10:18:46 by St Marlowe.
ale succumb to Myler's accuracy in scrappy match 
“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
Benjamin Franklin
Tetleys Block F E143
Great report Alan - many thanks
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:02:19:11:38:18 by Matthew.
thanks for the kind remarks
Saint til I die
Thank you, Sir!
