SALE SHARKS 14 NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 28
Northampton Saints banished back-to-back Premiership defeats by easing into the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals at the expense of a lacklustre Sale Sharks this evening.
Henry Thomas got the hosts off to a flying start but they were in tatters by the break as Ben Nutley dotted down twice, with Sam Dickinson and Ben Foden also coming to the party.
Sale No.8 Viliami Fihaki pulled one back near the end but Northampton were comfortable winners at the AJ Bell stadium, avenging last month’s 19-6 defeat at the same venue and staying in the hunt for a second Challenge Cup crown in six years.
Sale were ahead after six minutes when, following a powerful lineout drive, prop Thomas popped up to dive over – Nick Macleod added the conversion.
Northampton had been bossing possession from the off and after a succession of attacks that pushed Sale back, the away side finally reaped the rewards as Nutley peeled off the back of a lineout drive to dot down.
Will Hooley levelled the scores and Northampton were soon in front as they forced their way over from another lineout drive, with Dickinson the man dotting down.
The successful conversion pushed the visitors into a seven-point lead, which was no more than they deserved, and Sale were struggling for an answer.
They were left even more puzzled moments later as Lee Dickson and Ken Pisi combined superbly down the right and Will Hooley’s clever grubber kick found Foden, who leapt on the loose ball to score.
Hooley added the conversion and things soon got worse for Sale as Thomas – under the cosh in the scrum for much of the half – was sent to the bin.
Northampton made the most of the man advantage as they powered towards the home line again, with Nutley grabbing his second score and Hooley made it 28-7 at the break.
The visitors were hit with a hat-trick of injury blows after the break as Tom Stephenson, his replacement Dom Waldouck and Tom Mercey were all taken off, but it did little to affect the course of the game.
Sale did have something to shout about eight minutes from time as Fihaki went over on the back of a driving maul, with replacement fly-half Joe Ford converting.
James Craig was sin-binned soon after but it mattered little as Northampton, who face a tough trip to Premiership leaders Saracens next, saw out the result.
It sets up a last four clash at Franklin’s Gardens against either Stade Francais or Harlequins.
Article source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-06/quade-cooper-in-lions-audition-for-wallabies-squad/4737402
Rugby Union: Sale Sharks 14 Northampton Saints 28 - Saints march into Amlin ...
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