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Alex Sanderson was delighted after Sale secured a thrilling 41-27 bonus-point win over Bristol to leapfrog their play-off rivals into third spot with just one round of the Gallagher Premiership season remaining.
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Sanderson’s Sharks are formidable on home soil and they bounced back from last week’s defeat at Leicester in style to run in five tries.
Bristol also claimed five touchdowns but George Ford’s kicking proved the difference as he registered 16 points with the boot.
Sale head to Exeter in their final game of the season on May 31 knowing that victory would confirm a play-off spot for the third campaign in succession.
Director of rugby Sanderson said: “It was a really physical Bristol side but we struck fast, as we have been doing in recent weeks.
“I still have nightmares about going to Exeter three of four years ago when I first signed for Sale and being 19-0 up but ended up losing the game.
“I don’t see them as anything other than quite a dangerous team and the Premiership has shown this year that if you’re not on then you can get a hiding.
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“I’m already pumped and excited for it – I’ve just got to keep a lid on it.”
The only negative for Sale was the concession of two late tries which allowed the Bears to snatch a losing bonus point.
Sanderson added: “It leaves a sour taste in your mouth but we’d had a lot of changes and I wanted to get some young lads on.
“So I’m partly to blame for some of the disorganisation and lack of cohesion which led to at least a try in the last five minutes.”
Back-rower Dan du Preez scored the hosts’ first try and, although the Bears responded with a fine individual effort from Harry Randall, Sale scored again before the break through hooker Tadgh McElroy.
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The second half turned into a try-fest as Bristol scored through Viliame Mata, Siva Naulago, Harry Byrne and Kalaveti Ravouvou.
But Sale claimed three second-half scores through Jonny Hill, Rekeiti Ma’asi-White and Raffi Quirke.
Gallagher Premiership
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Bath
16
13
3
0
66
2
Leicester
16
10
5
1
56
3
Sale
17
11
6
0
54
4
Bristol
17
9
8
0
53
5
Gloucester
17
9
8
0
51
6
Saracens
16
9
7
0
49
7
Harlequins
16
7
8
1
43
8
Northampton
16
7
9
0
38
9
Exeter Chiefs
16
4
12
0
26
10
Newcastle
17
2
15
0
13
Bristol boss Pat Lam, who saw full-back Rich Lane forced off in the first half through injury, said: “For us, playing up here, we had an intention to be in the fight.
“We had to be in the fight by half-time and we had a kicking game but we probably didn’t do it anywhere near as well as George Ford.
“He produced a masterclass – he’s on fire at the moment and we wanted to put a bit of pressure on George.
“But the penalty count went against us too and we were down by 15 points at the break so we needed to score first in the second half, which we did.
“The plan then was to come on strong but the scoreboard pressure was too much for us. The bonus point was pleasing, though.”
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