Northampton can still go up the gears - Vesty

Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty believes they have "another couple of gears" to find despite back to back wins in the European Champions Cup.

Saints return to Prem action on Saturday at home to Sale Sharks, looking for a fifth win in seven matches.

And they also want to bounce back from defeat in Bristol three weekends ago, their first in the league this season.

"We probably didn't get as much of ourselves on the pitch (in Europe) as much as we'd have liked," Vesty told BBC Radio Northampton's Saints Show.

"I think we've still got another couple of gears, or a gear, to go but from a results point of view it's a great start."

He believes having had half a dozen players away during the autumn internationals is another reason why their game has yet to totally click since then.

"The way we play, which is fast and frenetic, takes a lot of time honing it, to get it smooth and make the players used to each other," Vesty continued.

"When they're away for four or five weeks, being asked different things and in completely different places, it's hard to get back into it as there is a bit of rustiness, but we have improved, and improved again, and we're heading in the right direction."

Northampton will have Italy wing Edoardo Todaro back from suspension against Sale and have also drafted centre Toby Thame and prop Emmanuel Iyogun into their starting XV.

They are looking for a fourth successive home victory against the Sharks in the league, having won 47-17 last season with the help of seven tries.

Vesty said there would be no change of approach for a Prem game, compared to European action.

"Ultimately, what we're going to do in 80 minutes on the pitch is the same. Lots of the key fundamentals - 99% - are going to stay very much about us and how we do things, a couple of changes about how it's reffed maybe. We like to concentrate on what we're doing," he said.

"It's about how many of the physical battle can we win, and how much can we move the game to have the physical battles in the places we want to have them.

"Their attack has come on a lot this year, they look more threatening with the ball and are keeping it alive a bit more - they've got a good back three that can hurt you from anywhere."

Following Saturday's game, Northampton travel to Bath on 27 December to take on reigning champions Bath.