Henry Pollock gets things started as Saints run in 7 tries against Sale

George Hendy scored two tries as Northampton produced an impressive display to defeat Sale 47-21 at the cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in the Gallager PREM.

The thumping victory was enough to lift Saints up to second in the table, with just points difference separating them and new leaders Exeter after they ran in seven tries, some of which were spectacular.

They were also able to welcome back England winger Tommy Freeman from injury, but for Sale this was an afternoon in which they were well beaten as they lost more ground on the top four.

Northampton struck first after just five minutes when Hendy sliced through Sale’s defence before passing outside for Henry Pollock, who sprinted clear of full-back Arron Reed to score.

A second try for the Saints soon followed when Fraser Dingwall kept the ball alive after being tackled, leading to Alex Mitchell’s pass putting Hendy through a gap and in the clear.

The hosts were running riot and scored for a third time in the first 17 minutes when Pollock’s pass was well picked up by Josh Kemeny out on the right, with his offload giving Toby Thame his first PREM try.

Sale badly needed a foothold and they gave themselves one in the 23rd minute when Rob du Preez’s pass through his legs found Arron Reed, who quickly moved the ball out for Tom O’Flaherty to finish spectacularly in the corner.

But Northampton pulled further clear again – and sealed their bonus point – after 33 minutes through a brilliant individual try by Kemeny.

Receiving the ball from Mitchell around Sale’s 10-metre line, the Australian back-rower sidestepped Jacques Vermeulen and beat Luke Cowan-Dickie’s attempted tackle before stepping Reed for good measure.

Fin Smith’s conversion – his third – took the score to 26-7 at half-time and that lead grew still seven minutes into the second half when Hendy took Smith’s pass before leaving O’Flaherty for dead for his second try of the afternoon.

O’Flaherty gained some revenge, however, when he intercepted Hendy’s pass inside the Saints 22-metre line for an easy finish to give the Sharks winger a double of his own.

Sale were then given further encouragement when Thame was sin-binned in the 57th minute after his shoulder made contact with Dan du Preez’s head.

Within a minute, the visitors closed the gap again when Reed had an easy finish after the forwards had made a succession of bludgeoning carries.

But Northampton settled home nerves when captain George Furbank did well to finish in the corner down the right after taking Edoardo Todaro’s pass.

The hosts had one final flourish in them when openside flanker Tom Pearson burst on to an offload to charge in unopposed with three minutes remaining.