View From The 22

Betting odds to win

Sale. 4/7
Saints 7/4
Draw 25/1

Sale are 150/1 to finish bottom of the table.

Does everyone have their internationals for this?
Vaguely remember everyone missing their players for a round before, but can't remember if that's pre-6N or pre-AIs or even a thing anymore now there's fewer teams

Yes all internationals available

DavenportSharky wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 21, 2026 1:43 pm

Betting odds to win

Sale. 4/7
Saints 7/4
Draw 25/1

Sale are 150/1 to finish bottom of the table.

We're favourites?

Yeah, very odd that
Bet365 has us as 1.53 favourites (Saints 2.50) and the handicap as us -4.5pts


I know bookies aren't in the business of losing money, but that seems very odd to me - not like their form has dropped off a cliff since they demolished us 4 weeks ago

I know home advantage helps, but that much?
Maybe they're expecting a lot of rested players after the Euros?

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/sales-hy ... y-hearing/

4 weeks for Hiron so will miss Saints

We have a lot due back as well after rest/ injury.

Based on Axe's comments we should be welcoming back LCD, EVR, Vermeulen, Ben Curry, Tom Curry, DDP, Raffi, George Ford, RDP and Carpenter. Add in Reed potentially back fit which I associate with his Scotland A call up and Roebuck very close and we could be almost full strength here save tighthead prop.

Fingers crossed we have a strong side out.

Looks like Saints team are going to Heywood Road on Saturday ! . This is from BBC
Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson has warned his players to beware a Sale Sharks side intent on "righting wrongs" when the two teams meet at Heywood Road on Saturday.

Perhaps they looked at the odds and decided to take our women on?

Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (51st Premiership match)
ARs: Hamish Smales & Henry Pearson
TMO: Peter Allan

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Alex Wills, 10. George Ford, 9. Raffi Quirke; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Nathan Jibulu, 3. James Harper, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Ban Bamber, 6. Jacques Vermeulen, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Tom Curry.

Replacements:

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Jos Gilmore, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Marius Louw, 23. Arron Reed.

SALE SHARKS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher PREM, Round 10
Saturday 24 January, 2026
CorpAcq Stadium
Kick-off: 5.30pm

15 George Hendy
14 Tommy Freeman
13 Rory Hutchinson
12 Fraser Dingwall (c)
11 Edoardo Todaro
10 Anthony Belleau
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Robbie Smith
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Coles
5 JJ Van Der Mescht
6 Josh Kemeny
7 Tom Pearson
8 Callum Chick

Replacements:
16 Craig Wright
17 Danilo Fischetti
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Ed Prowse
20 Tom Lockett
21 Henry Pollock
22 Archie McParland
23 George Furbank

Not considered for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Will Glister, Curtis Langdon, Tom Litchfield, Fin Smith, and Tom West.

It's going to have to be special performance against that 23.

Harper vs Iyogun is key. If Harper can hold his own and give us a platform then we stand a chance.

Not got a load firepower in the replacements forwards. Really not seeing DDP much this season.

Personally I would have started Louw over RMW.

Going to be a nail bitter - just GOT to win

RinTin wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 23, 2026 12:02 pm

It's going to have to be special performance against that 23.

Harper vs Iyogun is key. If Harper can hold his own and give us a platform then we stand a chance.

Yeah was looking at our XV and thinking “that’s decent”. Then I saw theirs

Would have preferred to see LCD at least on the bench instead of Caine. He's included in England 6 Nations squad & not down as rehab.

Sadly they seem to have speed in abundance, I think their back three will run riot.
Back row battle might be fun. Got to wish for the best, but I think I will be watching this from
behind the sofa.

Wasn't expecting Raffi back so quick tbh,

As above: decent side, but still pretty severely weakened and Saints look very strong

Not expecting much but hoping to be pleasantly surprised

Severely weakened is a bit strong. I make it 4 short of our best side (there are obviously a couple of arguments, sorry, discussions to be had). 4 missing from first XV is one of those sides where as a Sale fan you are not sure what you are going to get. They can turn in a performance worthy of the first XV, or they can capitulate completely (Maybe wishful thinking, but we don't usually capitulate twice to the same team ,and we are at home). I would like us to dominate scrums and mauls, but don't think that likely (for scrums anyway), but parity and wining our own ball should give us enough opportunities. Defence obviously key, Jibs needs a good arrows day too.

FWIW if I was starting Louw, it would be for RDP. RMW is our most dangerous ball carrier, definitely needed against this opposition.

LCD, AOF, Ben Curry, DDP and Roebuck missing from our what I would consider our first choice XV

WGJ and Andrews also unavailable (could argue whether they'd be on the bench - I would have WGJ but would keep Burrow over Andrews)

That's half the pack out, definitely a big blow to physicality and setpiece

It has been our pack that has been keeping us in matches. We can simply not rely on our
backline to frighten any of the other teams in the league. It shows our weakness when we get
a few injuries in the pack. I really fear another humping.

Olyy wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 8:55 am

LCD, AOF, Ben Curry, DDP and Roebuck missing from our what I would consider our first choice XV

WGJ and Andrews also unavailable (could argue whether they'd be on the bench - I would have WGJ but would keep Burrow over Andrews)

That's half the pack out, definitely a big blow to physicality and setpiece

How are you fitting in both AOF and WGJ without one being on the bench?

What's happened to McElroy?

Yareet wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 10:16 am

Olyy wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 8:55 am

LCD, AOF, Ben Curry, DDP and Roebuck missing from our what I would consider our first choice XV

WGJ and Andrews also unavailable (could argue whether they'd be on the bench - I would have WGJ but would keep Burrow over Andrews)

That's half the pack out, definitely a big blow to physicality and setpiece

How are you fitting in both AOF and WGJ without one being on the bench?

I said I'd have WGJ on the bench

Wills, Jibulu, Harper and Dugdale the only ones I wouldn't consider as first XV. DDP hasn't been part of our best for some time, returns on reputation only.

DDP and J-LDP gave us some heft in the scrum that we are now badly missing.
I hope the rumours of a top end second row and No 8 actually materialise.

Lord Elpus wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 10:27 am

What's happened to McElroy?

Was about to ask the same, he was in Clermont (away) with the team and hadn't noticed him on any injury report

SSR wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 11:27 am

DDP and J-LDP gave us some heft in the scrum that we are now badly missing.
I hope the rumours of a top end second row and No 8 actually materialise.

Jonny Hill as well....

McElroy is a real head scratcher, he looked good when he won a permanent contract at the tail end of last season - I'd guessed it was due to EQP numbers before, but don't think we'd be anywhere near the limit, especially with DDP/WGJ/Andrews missing
Think today we're at 17 EQP

Guess they're just investing in Caine

Clock RFC is putting up a valiant fight but is currently losing to Saints

Sale yet to come out of the changing rooms

He's not the messiah, hes a very naughty boy...

Nice try quirke

Our lineout is killing us

You could tell from the first one that there isn’t a lot of confidence there

Very clichéd performance from Raffi so far, kicking and passing has been poor but I don't think many other 9s are selling that dart/bursting that quickly for the try

Stupid tackle from Turry

Very average from us

4 down at half time is much better than I expected after the first 15 tbf,
Saints' forward passes to the wing are helping us a lot

So many mistakes due principally to the incredibly strong icy wind which is swirling but will mainly be in our favour in the second half. Very good attendance. Daft from TC. Harper struggled initially but doing better. Need 2nd jumper or throw to the front. We can win this.

Extra weetabix at half time!

Ford has been poor so far

Surbiton_Shark wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 6:46 pm

Ford has been poor so far

Think he read this - great pass for the break

That's a bad one to concede

Aimless kicking

Olyy wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 6:51 pm

Surbiton_Shark wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 24, 2026 6:46 pm

Ford has been poor so far

Think he read this - great pass for the break

Utterly sublime wasn’t it -)

Yet again we score and then let them just run one in

And then second kickoff out on the full

Utterly appalling defence - literally what we are doing

COULD WE PLEASE STOP CONCEDING IMMEDIATELY AFTER SCORING

Sale just box kicked, won the contested ball in THEIR HALF, and guss war used it as an immediate opportunity to Box Kick! No one within a dozen yards to contest box kick number 2 and Sants run 70 yards to score with ease.

Leave the club, Take the tactical genius who came up with that with you. Ford (Lesser), Sanderson or whoever. Perhaps the dumbest piece of rugby I have ever seen.

Doesn't look good for Harper,
Bell and Ramont the only fit tightheads at the club now

Great team try from Northants. Just too good for us