Sale Sharks 27-24 Northampton Saints: Sale player ratings in tight victory on home turf
03/30/2025 06:02 AM
Sale Sharks narrowly defeated Northampton Saints at the Salford Community Stadium to climb into the top four of the Premiership ahead to the rest of the weekend's fixtures.
The hosts started the first half as the better side, with more of the play across the majority of the 40 minutes. But they found themselves only five points ahead at the break thanks to some defensive lapses of concentration.
Ill-discipline cost Saints who found themselves with 13 men on the field after a couple of yellow cards for Tom James and Tommy Freeman, which Sale took advantage of with a try during the period that they were both off the pitch for.
HALF TIME: Sale Sharks 17-12 Northampton Saints
A rather turgid second half followed in which Sale just about recovered from a brilliant individual try from Henry Pollock with a score of their own and a penalty from George Ford.
It was stop-start, which suited the physical Sharks side, and they edged to victory despite a late scare from Fraser Dingwall that brought the score to a tight 27-24.
They seemed to be in control and although Saints stayed at arm’s length, it never felt as if they would get that elusive final score.
A feeling of relief was the general consensus at the Salford Community Stadium and Alex Sanderson’s side will be well aware that they need to improve if they are to realise their ambitions of finishing in the top four.
FULL TIME: Sale Sharks 27-24 Northampton Saints
Sale Sharks: 27
TRIES: 4 (Tom O'Flaherty 10' Tom Roebuck 17' 23' Bevan Rodd 48')
CONVERSIONS: 2 (George Ford 18' 49')
PENALTIES: 1 (George Ford 66')
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 1 (George Ford 37')
RED CARDS: 0
Starting XV: 15. Joe Carpenter 14. Tom Roebuck 13. Rob du Preez (c) 12. Sam Bedlow 11. Tom O'Flaherty 10. George Ford 9. Gus Warr 1. Bevan Rodd 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 3. Asher Opoku-Foudjour 4. Ben Bamber 5. Jonny Hill 6. Ernst van Rhyn 7. Tom Curry 8. Jean-Luc du Preez
Replacements: 16. Tadgh McElroy 17. Si McIntyre 18. WillGriff John 19. Hyron Andrews 20. Sam Dugdale 21. Nye Thomas 22. Will Addison 23. Arron Reed
Northampton Saints: 24
TRIES: 4 (Emmanuel Iyogun 19' Tommy Freeman 30' Henry Pollock 41' Fraser Dingwall 76')
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Alex Mitchell 30' 76')
PENALTIES: 0
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 2 (Tom James 11' Tommy Freeman 14')
RED CARDS: 0
Starting XV: 15. James Ramm 14. Tommy Freeman 13. Burger Odenaal 12. Fraser Dingwall (c) 11. George Hendy 10. Tom James 9. Alex Mitchell 1. Emmanuel Iyogun 2. Curtis Langdon 3. Trevor Davison 4. Chunya Munga 5. Alex Coles 6. Josh Kemeny 7. Angus Scott-Young 8. Henry Pollock
Replacements: 16. Henry Walker 17. Tarek Haffar 18. Luke Green 19. Temo Mayanavnaua 20. Juarno Augustus 21. Tom Pearson 22. Jonny Weimann 23. Tom Litchfield
SALE SHARKS PLAYER RATINGS
15. Joe Carpenter 7.5
Some very good hands both under the ariel ball and to move the ball over quickly throughout the course of the game. Some good defence in what was a very consistent game where he helped keep things ticking.
14. Tom Roebuck 7.5
What a winger Roebuck is, an absolute unit and it really showed tonight with some bulldozing runs. Got himself a brace of tries in the space of just over five minutes, after he showed some good running to beat the last man twice.
13. Rob du Preez (c) 7.5
Properly talismanic from RDP who just seemed to want it more than his opposition both sides of the ball. Him and Will Addison were responsible for some really poor defending for Tommy Freeman's try, the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding game. Could have had a bit more substance on the ball but overall was good and put in a real shift.
12. Sam Bedlow n/a
Came off after just over 20 minutes so doesn’t receive a rating.
11. Tom O'Flaherty 8
Player of the Match after some very good wing play. Finished his try in emphatic fashion with a lovely spin to dot down for the opener and his grubber kick out wide for Tom Curry in the buildup to the second try was a great bit of play with his feet. Defensively he was involved heavily with a couple of nice snatches and a good block from an attempted grubber kick, which seemed to rattle Saints a bit.
10. George Ford 7
A mixed bag for Ford who showed levels of quality at times but equally had moments to forget.
On the balance of things, it can be considered to have been a solid but unremarkable performance. Great kicking from his hands across the game but was a bit inconsistent with his conversion kicks, one of which fell way short of the posts in a strange manner.
Got a yellow card too which proved to give Saints a way back into the game.
9. Gus Warr 6.5
Looked a little bit off it and won't remember this game for long, didn't embarrass himself but equally didn't do too much. A few bits of amateur play at the breakdown sums up a frustrating game for Warr. Positively, he was quicker on the ball than he sometimes finds himself being, which is something to take onto the next game.
1. Bevan Rodd 7.5
Solid performance in which he won a couple of scrum penalties and made a few trademark bounding runs forward. Got on the wrong side of a maul in the buildup of Saints' first try of the evening. Culminated in a try scored early in the second half in which he thundered over after a maul. Not bad at all in his 100th appearance for the club.
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 6.5
Not his usual perfect self from the lineout and was slightly at fault for Pollock's try. Decent defensive work and grafted in his 70-minute cameo but not a whole lot of substance in this performance.
3. Asher Opoku-Foudjour 7
Came off after just under 60 minutes alongside partner Rodd. Similar in performance in that he helped win a couple of scrum penalties, had a few more touches of the ball but ultimately didn't score so is slightly lower rated. That was the only difference and overall he will be happy with how he played. Had a seven-point lead at the time of the replacements being made.
4. Ben Bamber 6.5
Physically asserted himself early on with a huge tackle and kept it up all game. Kept it solid and can be happy with how he played. No real mistakes made but no hugely notable moments.
5. Jonny Hill 6.5
A few good tackles in his 65-minute stint and asserted himself physically on Saints with some nice work both sides of the ball. Not a perfect performance but definitely an okay one.
6. Ernst van Rhyn 6.5
Great work rate across the whole game and defended decently.
7. Tom Curry 7
A seven rating for Sale's seven. His highlight was a tidy take from a Tom O'Flaherty grubber in which he played a quick pass to set Tom Roebuck free for their second try of the night. Overall put in some good shots and if not for some poor defending for Henry Pollock's try, would have been rated a bit higher.
8. Jean-Luc du Preez 7
Another who started off with a big shot and some hard work, which was all that he needed to do to get his team a platform to work off. Took the lineout and was involved later on for Sale's third try. Played well.
Replacements: 6.5
Arron Reed's late substitution nearly resulted in a try after he ran through but was stopped by an outstanding Freeman tackle.
After Sam Bedlow was taken off after just over 20 minutes, Will Addison replaced him and put in a good shift, but didn't have tonnes of joy.
The forwards kept it tight enough and dug in towards the end, but in truth those who started really won the game for Sale.
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