Sale vs Northampton - Friday night

[Puja]

Sale Sharks: L James; Roebuck, S James, Tuilagi, O'Flaherty; R du Preez, Warr; McIntyre, van der Merwe, Schonert; Wiese, Postlethwaite; JL du Preez, B Curry (c), D du Preez.

Replacements: Taylor, Harrison, Oosthuizen, Beaumont, Ross, Simpson, Curtis, Reed.


Saints: Collins; Sleightholme, Proctor, Dingwall (c), Skosan; J Grayson, Mitchell; A Waller, Haywood, Hill; Salakaia-Loto, Coles; Scott-Young, Aaron Hinkley, Augustus.

Replacements: S Matavesi, Iyogun, Petch, Moon, Graham, James, Litchfield, Furbank.

[Puja]

Couple of interesting lineups. Headline is of course Manu's comback, but I'm interested by Collins at 15 and Dingwall being captain (as well as starting 12 - am I wrong in saying he was mostly 13 last season?).

Good to see Hinkley there - who knew he'd been given a permanent contract?

Puja

[Adam_P]

Dingwall always wore 12 when playing with Proctor, but 13 when playing with Hutchinson - though there was always lots of positional switching during play.

Looking forward to seeing what Lukhan gives us in terms of physicality, and Sale is as good a test as any for that. If the pack do their job and get the backs some good ball in space that Saints back 3 is absolutely rapid and could do some damage. Shame Iyogun isn't starting.

[Banquo]

Dingwall always wore 12 when playing with Proctor, but 13 when playing with Hutchinson - though there was always lots of positional switching during play.

Looking forward to seeing what Lukhan gives us in terms of physicality, and Sale is as good a test as any for that. If the pack do their job and get the backs some good ball in space that Saints back 3 is absolutely rapid and could do some damage. Shame Iyogun isn't starting.

He defends at 13 when Hutchinson plays,but they mix it up in attack, with Dingwall doing any carry up work needed.

odd that Collins is at 15...but I guess Freeman is getting the 10 weeks.

[Adam_P]

Yep Freeman having enforced rest along with the other internationals, and I don't remember Furbank playing at all in pre-season so he may have had a niggle. Thought we might have seen Hendy but he's playing tonight.

[Banquo]

Yep Freeman having enforced rest along with the other internationals, and I don't remember Furbank playing at all in pre-season so he may have had a niggle. Thought we might have seen Hendy but he's playing tonight.

Furbank was in Oz too wasn't he?

[Puja]

Yep Freeman having enforced rest along with the other internationals, and I don't remember Furbank playing at all in pre-season so he may have had a niggle. Thought we might have seen Hendy but he's playing tonight.

Furbank was in Oz too wasn't he?

Not so as you'd notice. Seems fair if he's being given a delayed start to make up for the fact that he had intense training, without doing the full 10 weeks given he didn't play a game.

Puja

[Banquo]

Yep Freeman having enforced rest along with the other internationals, and I don't remember Furbank playing at all in pre-season so he may have had a niggle. Thought we might have seen Hendy but he's playing tonight.

Furbank was in Oz too wasn't he?

Not so as you'd notice. Seems fair if he's being given a delayed start to make up for the fact that he had intense training, without doing the full 10 weeks given he didn't play a game.

Puja

...see Fraser Dingwall...also in oz, without playing. But wants to play tonight.

[Adam_P]

If I remember rightly - which there is a good chance I don't as I'd completely forgotten Furbank toured - I think Dingwall may have got an injury so wouldn't have been training with the England squad for a decent chunk

[FKAS]

Furbank was in Oz too wasn't he?

Not so as you'd notice. Seems fair if he's being given a delayed start to make up for the fact that he had intense training, without doing the full 10 weeks given he didn't play a game.

Puja

...see Fraser Dingwall...also in oz, without playing. But wants to play tonight.

Didn't Dingwall pick up a knock early on in the Australia tour? Probably ended up in a non contact bib just helping with run throughs.

I'm guessing a prevailing Sale tactic will be hoisting some bombs up for Collins to have to come and take. See how he does in the air Vs the Sale wingers or if he gets the jitters should he catch it and have Manu smash him directly after.

Mitchell Vs Warr is an area Saints will fancy their chances, if Mitchell has successfully upped his fitness levels so he can play at that ridiculous tempo of his for 50 mins straight the Sale forwards will be in for a tough night and they aren't the most disciplined team in the league.

[Banquo]

Not so as you'd notice. Seems fair if he's being given a delayed start to make up for the fact that he had intense training, without doing the full 10 weeks given he didn't play a game.

Puja

...see Fraser Dingwall...also in oz, without playing. But wants to play tonight.

Didn't Dingwall pick up a knock early on in the Australia tour? Probably ended up in a non contact bib just helping with run throughs.

I'm guessing a prevailing Sale tactic will be hoisting some bombs up for Collins to have to come and take. See how he does in the air Vs the Sale wingers or if he gets the jitters should he catch it and have Manu smash him directly after.

Mitchell Vs Warr is an area Saints will fancy their chances, if Mitchell has successfully upped his fitness levels so he can play at that ridiculous tempo of his for 50 mins straight the Sale forwards will be in for a tough night and they aren't the most disciplined team in the league.

He trained for the first half and the last week. But the 10 week rule applies to all who went - see EPS thread.

[FKAS]

...see Fraser Dingwall...also in oz, without playing. But wants to play tonight.

Didn't Dingwall pick up a knock early on in the Australia tour? Probably ended up in a non contact bib just helping with run throughs.

I'm guessing a prevailing Sale tactic will be hoisting some bombs up for Collins to have to come and take. See how he does in the air Vs the Sale wingers or if he gets the jitters should he catch it and have Manu smash him directly after.

Mitchell Vs Warr is an area Saints will fancy their chances, if Mitchell has successfully upped his fitness levels so he can play at that ridiculous tempo of his for 50 mins straight the Sale forwards will be in for a tough night and they aren't the most disciplined team in the league.

He trained for the first half and the last week. But the 10 week rule applies to all who went - see EPS thread.

I know but exemptions can be sought and where the player only took part in a limited number of contact sessions and no games you'd have thought it would be easier to gain an exemption for them.

[Banquo]

Didn't Dingwall pick up a knock early on in the Australia tour? Probably ended up in a non contact bib just helping with run throughs.

I'm guessing a prevailing Sale tactic will be hoisting some bombs up for Collins to have to come and take. See how he does in the air Vs the Sale wingers or if he gets the jitters should he catch it and have Manu smash him directly after.

Mitchell Vs Warr is an area Saints will fancy their chances, if Mitchell has successfully upped his fitness levels so he can play at that ridiculous tempo of his for 50 mins straight the Sale forwards will be in for a tough night and they aren't the most disciplined team in the league.

He trained for the first half and the last week. But the 10 week rule applies to all who went - see EPS thread.

I know but exemptions can be sought and where the player only took part in a limited number of contact sessions and no games you'd have thought it would be easier to gain an exemption for them.

.....as I said, look at the other thread, he wanted to play before the 10 week kicked in. And players can choose to do so, even though RPA advise them to take the 10.

[32nd Man]

RFU apparently announcing this morning if this goes ahead or not. Probably wanted to gauge if the country was going to go full Diana over yesterday's news.

Sale 9 / 10 doesn't fill me with joy, but I suppose pretty much anyone could play under instruction to hoof it in the air or throw it to Manu.

[FKAS]

He trained for the first half and the last week. But the 10 week rule applies to all who went - see EPS thread.

I know but exemptions can be sought and where the player only took part in a limited number of contact sessions and no games you'd have thought it would be easier to gain an exemption for them.

.....as I said, look at the other thread, he wanted to play before the 10 week kicked in. And players can choose to do so, even though RPA advise them to take the 10.

Let's keep the thread on topic rather than railroading it onto another discussion and a different thread.

Still no announcement over whether this goes ahead or not, I'm guessing the clubs don't know either as I haven't seen the normal midday team announcements.

[Tigger]

Games been postponed....

[Puja]

Games been postponed....

On the bright side, that's an extra week's rest for England players...

Puja

[Tigger]

Rescheduled for this Sunday 3pm. What's the difference between playing it tonight and Sunday....its pathetic.

[Adam_P]

Rescheduled for this Sunday 3pm. What's the difference between playing it tonight and Sunday....its pathetic.

Indeed - I really don't get why it's disrespectful to play Prem games tonight, but fine tomorrow afternoon?

Also, now it's been moved to Sunday it can't be watched live on PRTV.

If I'd been a travelling fan on my way up to Sale I'd have been mighty pissed off that it took until 1300 to announce this rescheduling.

[Banquo]

I know but exemptions can be sought and where the player only took part in a limited number of contact sessions and no games you'd have thought it would be easier to gain an exemption for them.

.....as I said, look at the other thread, he wanted to play before the 10 week kicked in. And players can choose to do so, even though RPA advise them to take the 10.

Let's keep the thread on topic rather than railroading it onto another discussion and a different thread.

.

Ok mum