Sale v Saracens Friday 7.45

[fivepointer]

Key game this weekend.

Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez (c), 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 JL du Preez, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ben Bamber, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Tadgh McElroy, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Josh Beaumont, 20 Dan du Preez, 21 Sam Dugdale, 22 Raffi Quirke, 23 Tom O’Flaherty

Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Angus Hall, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Olly Hartley, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Alec Clarey, 2 Jamie George, 1 Rhys Carre
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Harvey Beaton, 19 Theo McFarland, 20 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 21 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 22 Charlie Bracken, 23 Alex Goode

[FKAS]

Both teams going with lock/6 hybrids and 6-2 bench splits. I'm expecting this one to be brutally physical.

Ma'asi-White Vs Hartley in the centres should be interesting as well as there's England touring spots up for grabs with centres.

[Banquo]

Both teams going with lock/6 hybrids and 6-2 bench splits. I'm expecting this one to be brutally physical.

Ma'asi-White Vs Hartley in the centres should be interesting as well as there's England touring spots up for grabs with centres.

quite a big leap from playing champ rugby earlier this season!!

[TheNomad]

Ma'asi-White Vs Hartley in the centres should be interesting as well as there's England touring spots up for grabs with centres.

Indeed. Say what you want about the state of the Prem finances, but what I do think is noticeable is how many good young English Qualified players are getting proper exposure and game time these days.

Good to see

[Oakboy]

Ma'asi-White Vs Hartley in the centres should be interesting as well as there's England touring spots up for grabs with centres.

Indeed. Say what you want about the state of the Prem finances, but what I do think is noticeable is how many good young English Qualified players are getting proper exposure and game time these days.

Good to see

Yes. Is it the players being so good that they demand selection or is it a bi-product of the salary cap (i.e. fewer employed foreign journeymen etc.)? I wonder if it's being analysed by position and by consistency over a period. Whatever, as you say, it's good to see.

[Slater582]

Both teams going with lock/6 hybrids and 6-2 bench splits. I'm expecting this one to be brutally physical.

Ma'asi-White Vs Hartley in the centres should be interesting as well as there's England touring spots up for grabs with centres.

Borthwick described Ma’asi-White as having 'enormous potential' last year so good to see him break into the Sale side.

[TheNomad]

I think he and Greg Fislau must have played int he same Caldicott team (I know this only because my son goes there). That can't have been much fun for a bunch of scrawny 12 year olds

[twitchy]

Tasty start.

[twitchy]

Sale are quality.

[FKAS]

George Ford coming into form at the right time in a Lions year for once. I think he was injured last time round. That first Sale try was quintessential Ford attack play.

Sarries looking a bit toothless, bit of the Exeter Chiefs style issue with the halfbacks not stepping up?

[twitchy]

Insane try.

[FKAS]

Insane try.

Ford to go from his own try line and spot the gap. Then the wheels out wide are ridiculous.

Sarries finally hitting back. They needed that.

[Oakboy]

I really do not rate Van Zyl and Burke is not much better.

Roebuck looks classy and his link play with Carpenter is excellent.

90% special from Ford (handling/running) and 10% awful (mainly kicking).

How Earl got the England 8 shirt ahead of Willis defies belief.

Good, feisty game.

[Banquo]

George Ford coming into form at the right time in a Lions year for once. I think he was injured last time round. That first Sale try was quintessential Ford attack play.

Sarries looking a bit toothless, bit of the Exeter Chiefs style issue with the halfbacks not stepping up?

yep sales defence amazing, but as noted before, Sarries 9/10 well average

[twitchy]

Insane try.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Sale very excellent! Across the board! Out Sarried Sarries.

Little side note to Gus Hall who, considering it’s only his second start, had a very decent game until he went off.

[fivepointer]

Sale were simply excellent. Hard to think of anyone in their side who didnt have a good game. Carpenter is surely going to get to tour with England and Ma'asi-White did himself no harm at all. Ford is in sublime form.
Saracens well beaten but Willis really stood out. Why take him off at 65 minutes, though?

[FKAS]

George Ford coming into form at the right time in a Lions year for once. I think he was injured last time round. That first Sale try was quintessential Ford attack play.

Sarries looking a bit toothless, bit of the Exeter Chiefs style issue with the halfbacks not stepping up?

yep sales defence amazing, but as noted before, Sarries 9/10 well average

Defence was very good, helped by Sarries feeding their players straight into the Sale tight defence for most the game with little deception. No targeting of Ford or Rob du Preez the normal weaknesses in the defensive line. Didn't target Reed under the high ball.

The Sale front row played at a high level quite far into the game as well, I was expecting subs earlier considering how they put themselves about. AOF rightly gets praise but Rodd was good as well and despite being around for years is still only 24. You'd expect both to be with England in the summer.

[Oakboy]

Sale were simply excellent. Hard to think of anyone in their side who didnt have a good game. Carpenter is surely going to get to tour with England and Ma'asi-White did himself no harm at all. Ford is in sublime form.
Saracens well beaten but Willis really stood out. Why take him off at 65 minutes, though?

The close-up of Willis as he came off reminded me of a heavyweight having done 15 rounds. I'd not say that Earl and Isiekwe had bad games but Willis's contribution put them both in the shade. I think Willis is our best 8 by a distance but I am suspicious of how he is being used by Saracens and England. I want him managed for 80 minutes not burnt out for shorter stints. It's about his longer-term ceiling. There is more to come.

[twitchy]

Ma'asi-White was smashing hartley.

[Banquo]

Ma'asi-White was smashing hartley.

I was underwhelmed by Hartley, and Maasi- White was ok, but they didn't look like international contenders at the moment tbh.

[FKAS]

Ma'asi-White was smashing hartley.

I was underwhelmed by Hartley, and Maasi- White was ok, but they didn't look like international contenders at the moment tbh.

Agreed. Looked like two guys still developing. Hartley tried a couple of things that didn't come off and couldn't get over the gain line. Ma'asi-White I thought had some solid basics and a good work rate but nothing eye catching.