RugbyRebels

Sale: Hammersley; Ashton, James, Van Rensburg, McGuigan; Du Preez, De Klerk; Oosthuizen, Van der Merwe, John, Evans, Phillips, Ross (capt), T Curry, Du Preez.

Replacements: Langdon, Harrison, Cooper-Woolley, Postlethwaite, B Curry, Cliff, MacGinty, Solomona

Northampton: Furbank; Collins, Proctor, Hutchinson, Naiyaravoro; Biggar, Reinach; Waller (co-capt), Haywood, Painter, Moon, Lawes, Wood, Ludlam, Harrison (co-capt)

Replacements: Matavesi, Van Wyk, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Eadie, Tupai, Francis, Tuala

Great to have Furbank back, who has definitely cemented himself as first choice fullback now. Will be interesting to see what happens when Mallinder rejoins the first team squad. I'd say this backline is my first choice across the board, Proctor has been real quality after his first couple of games bedding in. Back row is good too, really not a fan of the Wood/Gibson flanker combo we've seen the last few weeks in europe. I haven't watched great deal of Sale this season, but they seem to be doing okay and I think Hutch is going to have his hands full tackling van Rensburg

Adam_P wrote:Great to have Furbank back, who has definitely cemented himself as first choice fullback now. Will be interesting to see what happens when Mallinder rejoins the first team squad. I'd say this backline is my first choice across the board, Proctor has been real quality after his first couple of games bedding in. Back row is good too, really not a fan of the Wood/Gibson flanker combo we've seen the last few weeks in europe. I haven't watched great deal of Sale this season, but they seem to be doing okay and I think Hutch is going to have his hands full tackling van Rensburg

Mallinder is big enough to stick in the backrow...

As long as he's learnt how to not be a pansy in collisions

Reinach vs de Klerk should be good this game

Adam_P wrote:Reinach vs de Klerk should be good this game

It wasn't. Reinach showed why de Klerk is SA's first choice SH

Yeah Saints were pretty pants altogether. Poor accuracy, poor discipline, poor defence and losing most collisions. Sale's South African contingent bossed the power game and we had no answers for it.

Adam_P wrote:Yeah Saints were pretty pants altogether. Poor accuracy, poor discipline, poor defence and losing most collisions. Sale's South African contingent bossed the power game and we had no answers for it.

Saints lost a bit of confidence after Europe? Run out of early Boyd-based enthusiasm? Found out by other powerful sides?

Sounds like I’m having a dig, but more just curious what you think. They’ve looked very impressive up to a point.

Hard to say if it was a hangover from being smashed by Leinster two weeks running or a blip. Based on how we've played so far in the Premiership this season I'm happy to give them the benefit of the doubt for a one off - although the lack of a plan B when we were getting matched/beaten physically was worryingly reminiscent of our terrible form under Mallinder. Hopefully we get back to playing some decent rugby against Glos next weekend.