RugbyRebels

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs SALE SHARKS
Gallagher Premiership, Round 10
Saturday 30 December, 2023
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 3.05pm

15 George Furbank (c)
14 Tommy Freeman
13 Burger Odendaal – Debut: Saint #2088
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Ollie Sleightholme
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Alex Waller
2 Sam Matavesi
3 Trevor Davison
4 Chunya Munga
5 Alex Coles – 100th Saints appearance
6 Angus Scott-Young
7 Tom Pearson
8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:
16 Curtis Langdon
17 Tarek Haffar
18 Paul Hill
19 Alex Moon
20 Courtney Lawes
21 Sam Graham
22 Callum Braley
23 Tom Litchfield

Not available for selection:
Fraser Dingwall, George Hendy, Tom James (suspended), Lewis Ludlam, Joel Matavesi, James Ramm, Tom Seabrook and Robbie Smith.

SALE TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Joe Carpenter , 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Sam James, 12 Rob du Preez, 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr; 1 Ross Harrison, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Cobus Wiese, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 7 Ben Curry (c), 8 Jean-Luc du Preez.  
Replacements:  16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Tumy Onasanya, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Josh Beaumont, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Nye Thomas, 22 Luke James, 23 Telusa Veainu.  

Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys and Peter Allen
No. 4: James Clarke
TMO: David Rose

Shame Freeman shunted to the wing. Fraser has flu and a niggly ACJ.

Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 2:19 pm Shame Freeman shunted to the wing. Fraser has flu and a niggly ACJ.

It will be interesting to compare Freeman with Roebuck (about the most effective winger I have seen this season).

Looking forward to seeing Odendaal for Saints. Before the season started I thought he was potentially the missing piece of the puzzle in the Saints backline - offering a physical carrying option that we've been lacking for years. However, with how this season has gone and the emphasis on players bulking up a bit in pre-season, I'm not sure the same need is quite there. Still, of he can embed himself, run straight and hard and get the likes of Freeman and Sleightholme running off him it should be lovely.

Surprised to see Lawes on the bench. I'm all for squad rotation, but given the relative position of us and Sale I'd have gone full strength here.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:26 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 2:19 pm Shame Freeman shunted to the wing. Fraser has flu and a niggly ACJ.

It will be interesting to compare Freeman with Roebuck (about the most effective winger I have seen this season).

shame they aren't opposite each other. IMO its ridiculous that Freeman isn't already an established international.

Ollie Sleightholme must be a frustration for Saints- he goes off early so often, misses a week, rinse and repeat.

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:12 pm Looking forward to seeing Odendaal for Saints. Before the season started I thought he was potentially the missing piece of the puzzle in the Saints backline - offering a physical carrying option that we've been lacking for years. However, with how this season has gone and the emphasis on players bulking up a bit in pre-season, I'm not sure the same need is quite there. Still, of he can embed himself, run straight and hard and get the likes of Freeman and Sleightholme running off him it should be lovely.

Surprised to see Lawes on the bench. I'm all for squad rotation, but given the relative position of us and Sale I'd have gone full strength here.

But playing at 13. Has he not been fit or just not selected?

Great to see Luke James pulling on a Sale shirt again. Before his injury, he was fantastic - fingers crossed he's still got it.

Should be an interesting match. On paper, I think Northampton have the stronger backs, but Sale edge the pack (although both actually look strong for both teams). The bench could be the deciding factor in this one.

Beasties wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 11:30 pm

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:12 pm Looking forward to seeing Odendaal for Saints. Before the season started I thought he was potentially the missing piece of the puzzle in the Saints backline - offering a physical carrying option that we've been lacking for years. However, with how this season has gone and the emphasis on players bulking up a bit in pre-season, I'm not sure the same need is quite there. Still, of he can embed himself, run straight and hard and get the likes of Freeman and Sleightholme running off him it should be lovely.

Surprised to see Lawes on the bench. I'm all for squad rotation, but given the relative position of us and Sale I'd have gone full strength here.

But playing at 13. Has he not been fit or just not selected?

Been injured since joining - arrived with a shoulder injury then did a hamstring in training.

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:12 pm
Surprised to see Lawes on the bench. I'm all for squad rotation, but given the relative position of us and Sale I'd have gone full strength here.

Looks like Saints are stacking the bench a bit. Perhaps fancy a raft of early substitutions and targeting the big Sale pack as they start to tire. The impact of Lawes, Graham, Langdon off the bench should be a shot in the arm to the Saints physicality and tempo.

Fin Smith Vs George Ford should be interesting. Ford's struggling for form and desperately needs a good performance to justify his expected position as starting England 10. If Smith isn't detecting to Scotland he knows it's a great chance to show Borthwick how well rounded his game has become and out performing Fire strengthens his claims to be in the 23.

G Ford with a test match animal rip in the tackle…

Can anyone suggest a stream for this game, please? The usual one I use is now dead.

0-0 after 30 mins.

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 3:27 pm Can anyone suggest a stream for this game, please? The usual one I use is now dead.

Can you not access Prem rugby in France?!? Says it all…

From the replay angles I've seen it's hard to tell how much the try is nicely worked, off the back of a good kick regather and gaining an advantage, versus a bit of Saints just not working hard enough to reset their defensive line.

what a pile of crap. Endless bad kicking, poor handling from Saints, Pearson and Odendaal especially. Pearson looked ok apart from clog hands, handy lineout. Mitchell awful, Fin Smith ok, Roebuck and Freeman good with limited work to do.

16th man wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 4:06 pm From the replay angles I've seen it's hard to tell how much the try is nicely worked, off the back of a good kick regather and gaining an advantage, versus a bit of Saints just not working hard enough to reset their defensive line.

Odendaal I think fckd up

Bright start from saints.

Furbank bigger and faster this season?

And Capt. Invincible and sports a ‘tache.

What. A. Man.

Waller faking an injury as soon as you know who comes on.

Manny ‘GR Finishing School’ Iyogun giving wonder boy a tuning.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 3:23 pm G Ford with a test match animal rip in the tackle…

And now a test match animal cover tackle…

Fun finish to the match.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 4:36 pm Manny ‘GR Finishing School’ Iyogun giving wonder boy a tuning.

What what what?

p/d wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 4:42 pm

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 4:36 pm Manny ‘GR Finishing School’ Iyogun giving wonder boy a tuning.

What what what?

Yeah thought it was Tarek Haffar on the bench. He's another young prop that could be an absolute monster in the next couple of years. Very mobile.