Saints have a chance to show lessons have been learned as Sale come calling

Fraser Dingwall feels Saturday's game against Sale Sharks provides Saints with the perfect chance to respond to events at Leicester last Friday night.
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Saints were made to suffer by a physical Tigers team, who eventually ran out 35-20 winners at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

And things don't get any easier this week against another brutal outfit, with Alex Sanderson's Sale currently in fine form, winning their past four games.

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But Dingwall believes this fixture at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens gives Saints the chance to show they can learn lessons quickly after what happened against Leicester.

Fraser DingwallFraser Dingwall
Fraser Dingwall

"It's the perfect way to respond," said the centre, who has skippered Saints in their past two matches.

"If you were to put two teams in the league who are very similar in terms of what they do - it's Leicester and Sale.

"It's about learning the lessons from what happened on Friday and responding on Saturday."

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So what did Dingwall feel went wrong for Saints at Tigers last Friday?

"We lost critical moments and we didn't win our collisions, which fed their game," he said.

"They were able to put their game on to us rather than us putting our game on to them.

"It wasn't a lack of work rate, we've just got to be clear in terms of what we're going after against a team like Leicester, who rely so much on their physical game.

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"I wouldn't question the work rate or the commitment of the boys, it's just about where we're going after them.

"We were honest with each other about the fact we were too loose in the back end of the pitch and it fed their game.

"We had some honest conversations and we were cleaner when we tried to move the game up the pitch in the second half.

"The reality is that we're not exactly where we want to be but that doesn't mean we can't work towards it.

"It starts again this week and we're working towards the next game."