2020-21 Premiership Rugby – Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints Preview & Prediction

Select the sports you want to hear about and TSZ will send the best previews, analysis and predictions straight to your inbox. Sign up today!

THE FACTS

When is Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints taking place? Friday 20th November, 2020 – 20:00 (UK)

Where is Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints taking place? AJ Bell Stadium, Eccles

What is the expected weather for Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints? Cloudy, 9c

Where can I get tickets for Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints? This match will be played behind closed doors

What television channel is Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints on? BT Sport have the rights to televise Gallagher Premiership matches so it is worth checking their schedule

Where can I stream Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints? If televised on BT Sport, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via the BT Sport website & app

THE TEAM NEWS

Sale Sharks: 15 Luke James, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Sam James, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Simon Hammersley, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Jono Ross (c) 5 Jean-Luc du Preez, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Valery Morozov

Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19 James Phillips, 20 Matt Postlethwaite, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Rob du Preez, 23 Marland Yarde

Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 Ahsee Tuala, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Tom Collins, 10 James Grayson, 9 Henry Taylor, 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Api Ratuniyarawa, 4 Alex Moon, 3 Paul Hill, 2 James Fish, 1 Alex Waller (c)

Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 Owen Franks, 19 David Ribbans, 20 JJ Tonks, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Fraser Dingwall, 23 Harry Mallinder

THE PREDICTION

Sale Sharks were cleared this week of any wrongdoing in their serious covid-19 breaches towards the end of last season that saw them drop out of the play-offs. With that no longer hanging over them, they will hope to pick up where they left off in this new season and should again be challenging at the top-end of the table. They face a Northampton side who ended last season in a dismal run of form, losing eight matches in a row in all competitions including this very fixture. It was Northampton 14-34 Sale back in late September and there is little to suggest that gap in quality has been filled. Sale held the second-best points difference in the Premiership by the close of play last season and can make a statement here by covering at least -10.