Northampton vs Sale - Tuesday 5.30pm

[Puja]

Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 Matt Proctor, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Ahsee Tuala, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Shaun Adendorff, 7 Lewis Ludlam (c), 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Api Ratuniyarawa, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Sam Matavesi, 1 Manny Iyogun
Replacements: 16 James Fish, 17 Alex Seville, 18 Ehren Painter, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Teimana Harrison, 21 Jamie Gibson, 22 Henry Taylor, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro

Sale Sharks: 15 Luke James, 14 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 13 Sam James, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Simon Hammersley, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Jono Ross (c), 5 Jean-Luc du Preez, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Ross Harrison
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Valery Morozov, 18 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19 James Phillips, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 Will Cliff, 22 AJ MacGinty, 23 Marland Yarde

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 17:30 BST

[Mikey Brown]

That’s a strange sort of game where Tuala looks the most natural winger on the pitch.

[FKAS]

Odd backline from Sale. Will they do something out of the box and split the backs either side of the breakdown? Have a playmaker, heavy carrier and a fullback each side with the forwards filling in depending on where the breakdown occurs. Having right and left playmakers as opposed to a central flyhalf would be much harder to defend against.

[Scrumhead]

Interesting idea and not one I’ve ever knowingly seen in action. Sounds like a good way to use that Sale back line. Otherwise RJvR on the wing sounds like an odd idea.

[16th man]

Looks like an invitation to hoist kicks to RJVR's wing to me.

[Raggs]

Looks like an invitation to hoist kicks to RJVR's wing to me.

Was thinking the same thing.

[Adam_P]

Saints don't have a great deal of choice in the back 3 at the moment due to injuries to the likes of Collins and Sleightholme. Certainly a surprise to see van Rensburg on the wing for Sale.

Glad to see Adendorff given a start, he's been one of a small number of Saints players who has looked decent whenever I've seen him since the restart. Provides the solid carrying we desperately need.

[FKAS]

Looks like an invitation to hoist kicks to RJVR's wing to me.

Was thinking the same thing.

Great if you can get someone there to compete. Giving him the ball deep with a run up definitely not a good idea. If I was the winger playing up against him I'd be letting my flyhalf know in no uncertain terms that kicking long was not an option tonight and everything should be kick to contest though Tuala might consider himself big enough to handle it.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Looks like an invitation to hoist kicks to RJVR's wing to me.

Was thinking the same thing.

Great if you can get someone there to compete. Giving him the ball deep with a run up definitely not a good idea. If I was the winger playing up against him I'd be letting my flyhalf know in no uncertain terms that kicking long was not an option tonight and everything should be kick to contest though Tuala might consider himself big enough to handle it.

Why? Defensively he's pretty simple. He's not likely to take the outside if you show it him. He's going to come straight at you or your inside shoulder / man. Go low, bring him down and compete.

On the converse he's used to defending at 12 and has a habit of getting flat footed. Stand him up and take his outside, or step and in. It is just a shame that Saints don't really have a proper winger playing.

[FKAS]

Was thinking the same thing.

Great if you can get someone there to compete. Giving him the ball deep with a run up definitely not a good idea. If I was the winger playing up against him I'd be letting my flyhalf know in no uncertain terms that kicking long was not an option tonight and everything should be kick to contest though Tuala might consider himself big enough to handle it.

Why? Defensively he's pretty simple. He's not likely to take the outside if you show it him. He's going to come straight at you or your inside shoulder / man. Go low, bring him down and compete.

On the converse he's used to defending at 12 and has a habit of getting flat footed. Stand him up and take his outside, or step and in. It is just a shame that Saints don't really have a proper winger playing.

He's quite a bit quicker than he looks he just tends to need a run up hence why I said don't kick deep. Get him early and he's going nowhere. Let him get up to speed and he'll run over or bring his hand off into play. I'd certainly be showing him the outside though and using the touchline as my friend. Touchline never misses a tackle.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Great if you can get someone there to compete. Giving him the ball deep with a run up definitely not a good idea. If I was the winger playing up against him I'd be letting my flyhalf know in no uncertain terms that kicking long was not an option tonight and everything should be kick to contest though Tuala might consider himself big enough to handle it.

Why? Defensively he's pretty simple. He's not likely to take the outside if you show it him. He's going to come straight at you or your inside shoulder / man. Go low, bring him down and compete.

On the converse he's used to defending at 12 and has a habit of getting flat footed. Stand him up and take his outside, or step and in. It is just a shame that Saints don't really have a proper winger playing.

He's quite a bit quicker than he looks he just tends to need a run up hence why I said don't kick deep. Get him early and he's going nowhere. Let him get up to speed and he'll run over or bring his hand off into play. I'd certainly be showing him the outside though and using the touchline as my friend. Touchline never misses a tackle.

Hell yeah!

And I'd be looking to turn him and exploit his positioning, which you'd expect to be a little awry on the wing.

[Digby]

Centres have to do quite a bit of work up and down the pitch, but it's often not that explosive. Chasing high kicks on the wing is higher tempo, so before wanting to launch kicks at Tuala for van Rensburg to contest I wonder what van Rensburg's stats are like for backing up those higher intensity sprints?

[Mellsblue]

Touchline never misses a tackle.

I’m going to have to respectfully disagree. I once mistakenly ended up on the wing against Simon Danielli at Roslyn Park Sevens and the touchline must’ve missed him because it certainly wasn’t me. I still vividly remember the thought process of ‘just show him the outside and then...oh, he’s scored.’

[Mikey Brown]

What the fuck is going on with all these mullets?

I sort of get it with the Exeter lads. That seems to be a thing down there. But it seems to have become a genuine trend rather than a joke?

[Mikey Brown]

Sale loving a good elbow in the face so far.

[Mikey Brown]

Third red card worthy elbow in the face and we're 11 minutes in. Looks like this one has been spotted though.

Why are they pretending they care about head injuries but letting these go all the time?

[FKAS]

Centres have to do quite a bit of work up and down the pitch, but it's often not that explosive. Chasing high kicks on the wing is higher tempo, so before wanting to launch kicks at Tuala for van Rensburg to contest I wonder what van Rensburg's stats are like for backing up those higher intensity sprints?

As Hammersley is on the other wing I think the kicks to contest will all be on the other side to van Rensburg. Saints will be looking to get him into an aerial dual with Tuala though.

Touchline never misses a tackle.

I’m going to have to respectfully disagree. I once mistakenly ended up on the wing against Simon Danielli at Roslyn Park Sevens and the touchline must’ve missed him because it certainly wasn’t me. I still vividly remember the thought process of ‘just show him the outside and then...oh, he’s scored.’

You not getting close enough to put him into touch doesn't count. I remember going to a sevens tournament with a couple of players from our first team and a few 17 year olds with the expectation of playing in the community tournament. Our secretary had instead filed the wrong form and a team that was more than half to young to order a beer after the game ended up playing against some semi pro teams and an international team from Bahamas. Needless to say it was a long day. I would have liked to blame the touchline but as I was the playmaker in the middle of the park being ran around (but not over) by blokes noticeable bigger, quicker and more skillful than me...

[Mikey Brown]

The physicality in this game is amazing, but the ball skills are absolutely atrocious from basically everyone on the pitch.

[16th man]

Manu and Lawes off already. All the chat about preferred England sides may be about to meet a dose of reality again.

[Puja]

Manu and Lawes off already. All the chat about preferred England sides may be about to meet a dose of reality again.

While it's horrible to say it, Lawes being injured might be a good thing for England, as it'll reduce the temptation for Eddie to solve the conundrum of "too many good EQ flankers" by picking a lock there.

Puja

[Raggs]

Curry would never have won that turnover with Pearce as ref. Not even close to supporting his weight. Good turnover though, in really quick.

[16th man]

Might need to have someone explain crossing and obstruction to me again, as, if that Saints try is legal, I've obviously horribly misunderstood it.

[Raggs]

Lovely hit from Curry there. Still far from hating a Willis, Underhill, Curry backrow.

[Puja]

Lovely hit from Curry there. Still far from hating a Willis, Underhill, Curry backrow.

He is looking so confident and adept at things. Every inch an experienced international. Right there with you on Cunderhillis.

Puja

[Raggs]

The bounce of the ball has absolutely kill Saints several times now.