'You realise who’s in your corner': Sanderson on 'most challenging season'

Alex Sanderson was delighted to see Sale end their disappointing PREM Rugby campaign on a high with a comfortable 38-17 bonus-point win over an understrength Bristol.

Sanderson’s Sharks have made the play-offs in each of the past three campaigns but ended this season in seventh, their lowest placing since finishing in that position in 2018-19.

They needed a point to guarantee a place in next term’s Champions Cup and a dominant first-half display laid the platform for a thumping six-try win over a Bristol side who finished this season in sixth.

A number of players are leaving Sale, including England scrum-half Raffi Quirke, and director of rugby Sanderson said: “It’s been the longest, hardest and most challenging season I’ve ever had.

“It was good to send the lads off who are leaving in a good vein and I’m happy with the response of our defence.

“In attack, clearly it was in the form of where our game model is going and that’s exciting.

“The young lads stepped up and you realise who’s in your corner, but this leaves me massively optimistic for next season.”

England fly-half George Ford opened the scoring and lock Ben Bamber soon doubled Sale’s lead before winger Arron Reed and full-back Joe Carpenter also touched down.

Bristol, who named an all-English matchday 23 to ensure they meet the RFU’s EQP regulations, hit back with two tries from winger Noah Heward and hooker Tomas Gwilliam before the break.

But Sale scored a fifth try through Rekeiti Ma’asi-White and Reed claimed his second before Bristol fly-half Sam Worsley completed the scoring late on.

Bears director of rugby Pat Lam took the positives from his side’s performance at the end of a season which saw them miss out on the play-offs.

Lam said: “I was really proud of the guys. We knew Sale had to get a result for their Champions Cup qualification and then I saw their selection.

“But for our guys like Ollie Harris and they’re looking up at the likes of Tom Curry, George Ford and Tom Roebuck.

“These are guys they were excited to play against and we got off to a rough start – going 14-0 down and then 26-10 down at the break. But I was really proud of Harry Randall in how he kept everyone calm, and Joe Batley.

“We scored two before half-time and I was really pleased with the fight that we showed because it’s going to hold our young lads in good stead.

“It sort of sums up our season in a sense that we showed a lot of good things and the boys adapted well, so I’m pleased with that.

“I know we finished in sixth place, but there’s a gap to seventh and a small gap to fourth.”