Following a humbling 33-0 defeat to East Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints and England back Tommy Freeman are determined to set things right. The loss at home last Friday dealt a significant blow to Saints' playoff aspirations in the Premiership.

Learning from the Leicester Loss

Freeman, who was rested during the match after a standout Six Nations performance with England (scoring five tries), shared his thoughts with BBC Radio Northampton:

• On the defeat: "It was tough to watch. No one wants to be nilled at home in front of your own fans. When the game slips away, you push harder, but sometimes it backfires. We’ll take those lessons and move forward."
• On the team’s mindset: "The squad is positive despite the setback. We know we’ve got to win nearly every remaining game, and our performance will speak for itself when we get it right."

Freeman’s Return and Physical Approach

Having scored six tries in 12 appearances for Saints this season, Freeman emphasized the need for a strong response against Sale Sharks:

• Personal recovery: After taking a knock in the Wales match, Freeman confirmed his knee is now fully healed. "The mental break post-Six Nations was crucial," he added.
• Battle against Sale: "Sale is a tough place to visit—we haven’t won there since 2017. We’ll bring physicality and aim to ‘give them a good punch in the face.’"

Dowson’s Take: Addressing the Issues

Director of Rugby Phil Dowson acknowledged the poor performance, citing lack of cohesion due to international absences and injuries:

• Reasons behind the defeat: "We lacked connection and looked rusty. The key now is simplifying our game and cutting out uncharacteristic errors."
• Holding accountability: "This loss stains our reputation. I take responsibility, and we’ll ensure it doesn’t happen again."

Table Position and Playoff Hopes

Saints currently sit eighth, 10 points adrift of fourth place with just six games remaining. A victory against sixth-placed Sale is critical for reviving their playoff bid.

Key Stats:

• Tommy Freeman: 6 tries in 12 appearances (2023/24 season).
• Head-to-head: Saints’ last win at Sale was in 2017.

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