Nine-try Northampton Saints outplay Sale Sharks with 67-17 triumph

Northampton Saints 67-17 Sale Sharks, Franklin's Gardens
Scorecard

Northampton Saints ran a nine-try riot as they outplayed Sale Sharks with a 67-17 triumph in their Gallagher Premiership encounter at Franklin's Gardens.

This was also the Saints' biggest win in the last five years as they moved to the seventh place in the table while Sale Sharks slip to the eighth place.

Dan Biggar kicked a third minute penalty goal to begin the proceedings following which Cobus Reinach crossed over twice in the 7th and 13th minute with the fly-half also kicking both the conversions and a another three pointer as the Saints raced to 20 points in the early stages of the game.

In the same phase, all Sale Sharks could manage was a penalty kick from Aj MacGinty in the 10th minute. The Saints suffered a setback when Biggar left the field with injury in the 20th minute but despite that Tom Wood rumbled across in the 27th minute to make it 27-3.

Repeated infringements at lineouts by Northampton resulted in a penalty try for Sale Sharks in the 34th minute but a combination of Rory Hutchinson and Jamie Gibson saw Tom Collins dot down before the break with the first half ending with a 32-10 scoreline.

Denny Solomona's 49th minute try and a conversion from MacGinty were the only points for the visitors in the second half but Northampton had total domination with Ahsee Tuala (43'), Taqele Naiyaravoro (61'), George Furbank (65'), Rory Hutichinson (73') and Collins (78') scoring tries. Francis also kicked five second half conversions as Northampton completed a 50-point victory.