Northampton thrash Sale to extend winning home run

Gallagher Premiership

Northampton (40) 47

Tries: Freeman, Furbank, Sleightholme 2, James, Hendy, Ramm Cons: Smith 6

Sale (10) 17

Tries: Cowan-Dickie, Carpenter Cons: R du Preez 2 Pens: R du Preez

Northampton Saints extended their unbeaten home run past the year mark with a seven-try mauling of abject Sale at Franklin's Gardens.

Luke Cowan-Dickie brought Sale within two points of Saints at 12-10 after early scores from Tommy Freeman and George Furbank.

But that was as good as it got for the error-prone Sharks as four tries in 16 minutes from Ollie Sleightholme (2), Tom James and George Hendy sent Northampton 30 points clear at half-time.

Joe Carpenter replied as the visitors sought a try bonus point, but James Ramm pounced on another Sale mistake to cap an emphatic win.

Sale had top spot in their sights, but were torn apart by a Saints side reprising their title-winning swagger from last season as scintillating attacking rugby ended the match as a contest by the break.

Northampton’s 12th successive Premiership win at Cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens - an unbeaten run which stretches back to 21 October last year - lifted them above Sale to fifth in the table.

Alex Sanderson’s side head to Bath next weekend looking to avoid a third consecutive away defeat, while Saints travel to Bristol.

Sale collapse as Saints find top gear

Northampton had hooker Robbie Smith stretchered off with a suspected knee injury in the opening minutes, echoing the loss of Sam Graham in their previous game against Leicester Tigers, but it did not affect their front-foot mind-set

Freeman chased down Fin Smith’s weighted kick through to touch down, and his line break then sent Furbank over as the hosts struck twice inside the opening eight minutes.

Sale’s response was quick and clinical as Cowan-Dickie was driven over for his fourth try of the season in an all-action start.

But the wheels fell off spectacularly following Alex Wills’ 19th-minute sin-binning for taking out Hendy in the air as they coughed up 21 points in a disastrous 10-minute spell.

More slick work by the backs handed Sleightholme a clear run to the line before James’ 24th-minute finish, following another spilled pass, sealed the fastest bonus point of the season so far.

Things went from bad to worse for the all-at-sea Sharks as Smith’s kick-through bounced past the embarrassed Tom Roebuck to give Sleightholme a simple second.

And Hendy picked off a loose pass from England flanker Ben Curry to run in and take the Saints to 40 points in just 36 minutes.

A stung Sale showed immediate improvement after their half-time team chat, with Carpenter nipping through a gap to score but Gus Warr was then held up by Premiership debutant Harry Pollock’s try-saving tackle.

As Sharks tried to force the play, the errors continued and Saints were ruthless, hoovering up another loose pass to send Ramm away for their seventh try.

Northampton: Furbank (capt); Hendy, Freeman, Hutchinson, Sleightholme; F Smith, T James; Iyogun, R Smith, Davison, Thornbury, Munga, Scott-Young, Pearson, Pollock.

Replacements: C Langdon, Haffar, Millar Mills, Hunter-Hill, Kemeny, McParland, Litchfield, Ramm.

Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, Nayacalevu, Bedlow, Wills; R du Preez, Warr; McIntyre, Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Van Rhyn, Andrews, T Curry, B Curry (capt), D du Preez.

Replacements: Caine, Onasanya, Harper, Bamber, Dugdale, Thomas, Curtis, L James.

Sin-bin: Wills (19).

Referee: Christophe Ridley