Northampton bounced again from their derby disappointment in fashion as they
trounced Sale 47-17 within the Gallagher Premiership.
The place Northampton have been wasteful in defeat at Leicester final Saturday, they have been deadly in opposition to the Sharks at Franklin’s Gardens, the place Ollie Sleightholme scored two of their seven tries.
It additionally meant their successful run at residence will now lengthen past a yr, with Saints racking up an 18th consecutive victory on their very own patch on an evening Sale will wish to rapidly put behind them.
Rob du Preez’s second-minute penalty opened the scoring for the Sharks, however Northampton have been quickly on the board when Fin Smith’s grubber kick was missed by Sale full-back Joe Carpenter, permitting Tommy Freeman to get the ball down and rating.
Northampton have been over once more within the eighth minute when Freeman charged onto Rory Hutchinson’s ball inside earlier than timing his cross exterior to place captain George Furbank within the clear.
The Sharks momentarily acquired themselves again within the sport as a driving maul led to Luke Cowan-Dickie scoring to cut back the hole to 12-10.
Nevertheless, the guests’ night time fell aside after Wills was despatched to the sin bin for taking George Hendy out within the air, with Northampton occurring to attain three tries in six minutes.
James Ramm, a blood substitute for Furbank, arrange the primary two, his lengthy cross giving Sleightholme a walk-in earlier than the winger’s kick forward bounced kindly for the Australian, permitting him to place Tom James within the clear.
That was the bonus level within the bag for the Saints after 24 minutes and check out quantity 5 adopted when Tom Roebuck missed Smith’s kick to the left wing to present Sleightholme his second of the match.
There was nonetheless time for yet one more rating for the hosts earlier than half-time as Hendy intercepted Waisea Nayacalevu’s cross to run in unopposed, taking the rating to 40-10 on the break.
Sale had the primary attempt of the second half because the forwards labored the guests to below the Northampton posts earlier than Du Preez’s cross gave Carpenter a straightforward end.
Excellent defence by Henry Pollock to carry up Gus Warr then prevented the Sharks scrum-half from pulling again one other rating earlier than Roebuck denied Sleightholme a hat-trick on the different finish by tackling him into contact.
Any query of a Sale comeback was silenced within the 61st minute when but extra unfastened play from the guests led to Ramm, now on completely, gliding via a niche to go clear for Northampton’s seventh attempt of a profitable night time.
Massive win for Falcons
Newcastle earned their first Gallagher Premiership victory in over a yr after beating fellow strugglers Exeter 24-18 at Kingston Park.
The Falcons went into Friday’s conflict with no win since March 2023 however introduced their 25-game dropping streak to an finish with a hard-fought victory.
Regardless of falling behind to an early Chiefs attempt, Newcastle responded with tries from Philip van der Walt and two both aspect of the break from Jamie Blamire.
Ethan Grayson’s second-half drop aim gave the Falcons some respiratory house earlier than Josh Hodge scored a late attempt for Exeter, however the Falcons held on for a long-awaited triumph.
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