Sale edge home past spirited Northampton

Tom O'Flaherty joined Sale from Exeter Chiefs before the start of last season

Last season's Premiership runners-up Sale Sharks began the new campaign with a hard-fought home victory over Northampton Saints.

But tries from wingers Tom Roebuck and Tom O'Flaherty and hooker Ethan Caine had Sale 20-10 in front by half-time.

James Ramm's score halved the deficit but Sale withstood late pressure on their own line to hang on for the win.

Both sides came up short against champions Saracens in last season's play-offs and are eager to go further this time.

But for this first match of the new league campaign, 10 players - five from each side - were absent on duty at the World Cup in France, including six who are involved in England's quarter-final against Fiji in Marseille.

Only Saracens scored more points than Northampton last year and they showed that attacking thrust with the first score from Freeman coming after they had maintained an attack for the opening two minutes.

However, only bottom side Newcastle Falcons shipped more points last season, with rugby league coach Lee Radford brought in to oversee their defence.

There is still obviously work to do as Sale's first couple of visits into their 22 saw Roebuck going over in one corner and then O'Flaherty crossing in the opposite one as they turned the scoreline in their favour.

Northampton only had a Fin Smith penalty to show from some good attacking positions before replacement Caine, on as a blood replacement for Tommy Taylor, went over from a maul to extend Sale's lead to 10 by the interval.

The hosts were twice held up on the line after the break as they looked to seal the victory and a bonus point, before Ramm raced in from halfway in the 70th minute after a good break from Alex Coles.

That set up a tense finale as Saints sensed an unlikely win and they were camped in the red zone for the last few minutes.

Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, S James, Bedlow, O'Flaherty; R du Preez (capt), Quirke; McIntyre, Taylor, Schonert, van Rhyn, Hill, JL du Preez, Dugdale, D du Preez.

Replacements: Caine, Harrison, Harper, Wiese, Beaumont, Warr, Curtis, Reed.

Northampton: Hendry; Freeman, Dingwall (capt), Hutchinson, Ramm; F Smith, T James; E Waller, Langdon, Davison, Moon, Coles, Scott-Young, Pearson, Graham.

Replacements: R Smith, A Waller, Millar Mills, Lockett, Munga, McParland, Grayson, Seabrook.

Referee: Adam Leal

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