Ravouvou strikes late to seal Bristol victory against Sale

A late converted try from Kalaveti Ravouvou proved just enough for Bristol to maintain their winning run with a 19-17 victory as Sale lost on the road in the Gallagher Prem for a sixth consecutive game.

There was little between the teams, who fought a titanic battle, but Bristol just shaded the contest by scoring three tries to two.

Joe Owen and Matias Moroni were also on Bristol’s try-scoring sheet with Tom Jordan and James Williams each kicking a conversion.

Tom O’Flaherty and Ernest van Rhyn touched down for Sale with George Ford converting both and adding a penalty.

Sale suffered an early injury blow when they lost Alex Wills to a failed HIA after the wing was on the receiving end of a high challenge from Bears number eight Viliame Mata. Gus Warr replaced him at scrum-half berth with Raffi Quirke playing on the wing.

Bristol had the better of the early exchanges but with their first attack, Sharks took the lead when a succession of forward drives on half-way created space for O’Flaherty. The wing took his opportunity in fine style racing 35 metres along the right flank to outpace Ravouvou and score.

Ford nailed the touchline conversion and Sale had a 7-0 lead at the end of a feisty and competitive first quarter.

Ravouvou looked to have gained his revenge on O’Flaherty when he brushed the Sale man aside on a surging run deep into the opposition 22 but Bears conceded a breakdown penalty to prevent them capitalising.

The home side then lost two players in quick succession with first prop Lovejoy Chawatama hobbling off before Louis Rees-Zammit departed to a failed HIA.

Ford had a chance to extend Sharks’ lead but made a complete hash of a drop-goal attempt so Bristol had their chance to draw level at the interval when Owen finished off a forward onslaught to force his way over for the last action of the half.

Four minutes after the restart, Sale regained the lead when an impressive line-out drive set up the platform for Van Rhyn to secure the touchdown.

Ford converted before kicking a straightforward penalty but Bristol responded with the best try of the game when skilful passing saw Moroni fly over in the corner.

Sale lost the lively Quirke to a leg injury and they suffered a further setback when Rekeiti Ma’asi-White was sin-binned for a deliberate offside as the visitors sought to repel another strong run from Moroni.

Bristol made it count by scoring another splendid try as Williams’ break put the defence on the back foot to set up the chance for Ravouvou with the conversion from Williams seeing Bears home.