Bristol see off Sale for first Premiership win in five matches
Bristol ended a run of four successive Gallagher Premiership defeats as they continued Sale’s away-day blues by winning 32-15 at Ashton Gate.
Sale have not claimed a league win on the road this season, and Bristol extended that sequence following three first-half tries.
Full-back Luke Morahan, deputising for an injured Charles Piutau, claimed a double, while hooker Will Capon also crossed, with Bristol posting two of their scores during sin-binned Sale and England flanker Tom Curry’s spell off the field.
Fly-half Callum Sheedy kicked two penalties and three conversions, before substitute scrum-half Andy Uren added a bonus-point try during the closing seconds.
Sale could not build on a solid first 40 minutes when hooker Ewan Ashman and centre Robert Du Preez scored tries, failing to register a point in the second period.
AJ MacGinty, who will join Bristol next season, booted a penalty and conversion, yet it proved a frustrating night for Sale after they saw two second-half tries disallowed for knock-ons.
Bristol boss Pat Lam made four changes following last weekend’s defeat at Exeter, calling up Capon, wing Henry Purdy, prop Max Lahiff and lock John Hawkins.
Sale welcomed back Curry after victory over Wasps six days ago, with skipper Jono Ross and number eight Daniel Du Preez lining up as his back-row colleagues, while Sam James started in the centre.
The visitors made a strong start and went ahead after just four minutes through an outstanding try sparked by MacGinty, whose half-break breached Bristol’s defence.
Robert Du Preez was on his shoulder in support, before wing Marland Yarde delivered a scoring pass to Ashman for what was an immediate statement of intent.
Bristol needed a quick response, and they produced one after Curry was yellow-carded by referee Wayne Barnes, who was in charge of his 250th Premiership game, for a technical infringement.
Sale were put under a huge pressure from a driven line-out, and Capon claimed the touchdown, with Sheedy converting for a 7-5 advantage after 10 minutes.
Bristol had the bit between their teeth, and they claimed a second try as Sale struggled to cope without Curry.
Centre Sam Bedlow played a critical role after scrum-half Harry Randall took a quick penalty, as his long pass found Morahan in space, and he applied a clinical finish.
It proved an expensive yellow card, as Bristol scored 12 unanswered points while Curry was off, yet the visitors drew level just eight minutes after he returned, with Robert Du Preez rounding off a flowing move, and MacGinty’s conversion tied things up.
Back came Bristol, though, and Morahan again showed Sale’s defence a clean pair of heels to post his second try, converted by Sheedy, before a MacGinty penalty narrowed the gap to four points.
Both sides had further chances before the break, but Bristol took a narrow lead into the interval as they chased a first Premiership win for two months.
Sheedy opened Bristol’s second-half account through a long-range penalty, and when he repeated the feat approaching the end of an error-strewn third quarter, Sale had it all to do at 10 points adrift.
It looked like the Sharks had narrowed the deficit when full-back Luke James won a kick and chase to touch down, but the score was ruled out for a knock-on earlier in play after Barnes consulted television match official Tom Foley.
James’ brother Sam then had a try chalked off for a knock-on by substitute Simon Hammersley, and there was no way back for Sale after that as Bristol collected some much-needed Premiership points.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments