News: AP: Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints - Match Preview
By Phil Hollis
November 29 2012
Northampton Saints travel north this weekend for a Friday evening Aviva Premiership fixture against Sale Sharks at the Salford City Stadium. COYSDC editor Phil Hollis looks ahead to the game...
SALE SHARKS vs. NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
AP: Friday, 30th November 2012 - 7.45pm (ESPN)
SALFORD CITY STADIUM, ECCLES
MATCH PREVIEW
I’ve travelled up north to watch Northampton Saints play Sale Sharks. It was just the once, way back in 2003 when Beef, Big Rich and I made the last minute decision to hop on the Supporters Club charabanc to take in what was Northampton's first match of the 2003/4 season. On arrival in Stockport we had a couple of beers in The Sir Robert Peel, or was it The Royal Oak (it was probably both!) and went on to enjoy a tense game which ended up in a 37 all thriller. It’s funny the little things you remember. The announcer ramping up the music every time Sharks scored; the deathly silence when Saints added to the scoreboard (in the end we started singing “Tom Hark” ourselves), Andy Blowers getting lamped by Kevin Yates and the Sharks backroom staff up in arms claiming Mr Blowers was feigning injury. Whether a certain David James Mallinder was among those shouting abuse at our prone No. 8, the veils of time past do not allow me to recall. The other memory of an enjoyable trip was the presence of the Chronicle and Echo’s then rugby correspondent, Terry Morris, cadging a lift back home on the SSC bus. The socially-challenged-cyber-saddos amongst you will be cheered to know that we spent much of the journey home re-writing Mr Morris’s match report for him – “Sleights a 6? You’re having a laugh, Terry, it should be at least a 7. Oh come on Tel, Drahmy’s worth at least an 8!” Fun and games, fun and games. Anyway, that’s just a little piece of history; let’s get on to Friday evening’s game…
To say that Sale Sharks have struggled since the move to their new home in Salford is something of an understatement. With just the one success in the first nine rounds of the Aviva Premiership season, Sharks find themselves at the foot of the league ladder, a full five points behind 11th placed London Irish. They need to turn their season around pretty sharpish if they do not want to find themselves cast adrift and to that end there have been changes in the coaching staff with the no-nonsense Kiwi John Mitchell being drafted in by Chief Executive Steve Diamond to oversee first team affairs. I’m sure the players will have been told in no uncertain terms that current form is totally unacceptable and to have absolutely no illusions as to what is expected of them.
A Friday evening kick-off means that both teams are already in the public domain. The name that immediately jumps out on the Sharks side is that of Cameron Shepherd. A would-be Saint until fears were raised at Franklin’s Gardens about his potential fitness, Shepherd will take to the park with a point to prove. Elsewhere, Sale are boosted by the return from international duty of centre Johnny Leota (Samoa) and lock Richie Gray (Scotland) and with a nine-ten axis of Dwayne Peel and Danny Cipriani the Sharks side should not be underestimated.
For Saints it has been a curate’s egg of a season so far. Five wins on the bounce at the start of the campaign saw the Black, Green and Gold at the top of the then fledgling table at the end of September. A surprise comprehensive defeat away to London Irish and the wheels started to fall off the wagon and with reverses to Saracens and Leicester also coming in October, Saints found themselves back in in Premiership pack. That said, there have been more encouraging signs in recent weeks with LV= Cup success away at Newport Gwent Dragons and a dogged victory against Premiership new boys London Welsh last time out.
Jim Mallinder has made four changes to the starting XV for the trip to Sale. First up it’s a warm welcome back from injury for two of Saints' England stars, Dylan Hartley and Ben Foden. Dylan’s “never a backward step” attitude has been sorely missed in recent weeks and is a great boost to the pack and the return of Foden to full-back gives the back-line a rapier edge that it seems to lack when he is absent. Other changes see George Pisi return from his time away with Samoa slipping back in at centre and the reliable Mark Sorenson taking Red Rose bound Courtney Lawes’ place at lock.
The form guide would nudge one towards a narrow away victory but Sale Sharks have won their last three games at Salford City Stadium in all competitions and the impact of john Mitchell’s arrival may well stir the Sharks side into action. That said, Saints should be able to get forward dominance and if they do then that should provide the basis of a hard-fought win. It is this writer’s belief that the first 20 minutes will be crucial. Get on top in the early exchanges and, given their season so far, then the Sharks’ heads may drop; give them the chance to gain confidence and it may be a totally different match.
Saints by 10.
Sale Sharks
15. Cameron Shepherd, 14. Charlie Amesbury, 13. Johnny Leota, 12. Sam Tuitupou, 11. Mark Cueto, 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Dwayne Peel, 8. Richie Vernon, 7. David Seymour (capt.), 6. Andy Powell, 5. Kearnan Myall, 4. Richie Gray, 3. Tony Buckley, 2. Tommy Taylor, 1. Ross Harrison
Replacements:16. Joe Ward, 17. Eifion Lewis-Roberts, 18. Vadim Cobilas, 19. Fraser McKenzie, 20. James Gaskell, 21. Will Cliff, 22. Nick Macleod, 23. Rob Miller
Northampton Saints
15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Dom Waldouck, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Martin Roberts, 8 GJ Van Velze, 7 Phil Dowson, 6 Calum Clark, 5 Mark Sorenson, 4 Samu Manoa, 3 Brian Mujati , 2 Dylan Hartley (capt), 1 Soane Tonga'uiha
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Paul Doran -Jones, 19 Rhys Oakley, 20 Ben Nutley, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 Tom May
Referee: Llyr ApGeraint Roberts
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Jimmies by 1 would work for me...!
I would be happy with a similar scoreline this friday.
Thanks for reading.
I most certainly would not!
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
Terrace 'B' next to Mav, Shaddo, AB, Jeremy and Spud.
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*