Sale edge out Bath with late try to remain on course for Premiership play-offs
Sale Sharks stayed on course for a Premiership play-off place after beating Bath 24-20 at the Recreation Ground.
Alex Sanderson’s team moved second in the table, and six points from their remaining three league games should be enough to guarantee a top-four finish.
Bath, though, slipped to a club-record sixth Premiership home defeat this season as Sale claimed their first away victory in the fixture since 2014.
The Sharks again saw indiscipline surface as three second-half yellow cards made it a table-topping 21 for them in the Premiership this season.
But Bath captain Charlie Ewels was yellow-carded during the closing minutes, and Sale pounced to seal a bonus-point triumph.
First-half tries from lock JP du Preez, wing Byron McGuigan and full-back Simon Hammersley helped Sale tie a high-class opening half, and it was replacement hooker Curtis Langdon’s 77th-minute try that edged them home.
Fly-half AJ MacGinty kicked two conversions – he also missed three shots at goal – while his opposite number Rhys Priestland landed four from four, slotting two penalties and two conversions.
Centre Cameron Redpath and flanker Josh Bayliss touched down for the home side, with Priestland’s second-half penalty not enough on the night as Bath keep fighting for Heineken Champions Cup qualification.
Bath handed a first Premiership start to hooker Jacques du Toit, who replaced a suspended Tom Dunn, while Sam Underhill and Zach Mercer gained back-row recalls, with Priestland and Will Chudley the preferred half-backs.
England star Tom Curry captained Sale, and his brother Ben was named in Sharks’ match-day 23 for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury five months ago, taking a spot among the replacements.
Bath, eager to bounce back from a comprehensive home defeat against Premiership leaders Bristol last time out, made an impressive start.
British and Irish Lions back Anthony Watson made a powerful run from deep, then full-back Tom de Glanville surged clear and sent Redpath over for a try, which was allowed despite De Glanville’s pass appearing to be forward.
Priestland converted, but Sale drew level just four minutes later after superb handling at pace by backs and forwards ended with an unmarked Du Preez touching down, before MacGinty added the extras.
MacGinty missed a penalty chance that would have put Sale ahead, and Bath struck again to end an entertaining opening quarter in front.
Centre Max Clark proved the attacking catalyst, brushing off weak Sale defence and then providing a one-handed pass that Bayliss gathered before sprinting clear and touching down.
Priestland’s conversion reopened a seven-point advantage, but Bath suffered an injury blow as half-time approached when Du Toit was carried off, meaning a Premiership debut for Tom Doughty.
Sale looked to have done enough for a second try four minutes before the break, but number eight Jean-Luc du Preez knocked on as he crossed Bath’s line.
They struck from their next attack, though, when Bath ran out of defensive numbers and McGuigan applied a simple finish, only for MacGinty to then miss a second successive kick at goal.
And Sale then drew level after superb work by flanker Cobus Wiese, whose pass found Hammersley, with the try being awarded after repeated checks initially for a forward pass, then whether or not the full-back had his foot in touch, and finally, if he had cleanly grounded the ball.
MacGinty again failed to land the conversion, and an opening half of five tries ended level at 17-17.
Bath struck first in the second period, with Priestland booting a 55th-minute penalty – his fourth successful strike that underlined MacGinty’s inaccuracy off the tee.
Wiese was then sin-binned for a technical infringement, and replacement scrum-half Raphael Quirke quickly followed him as the visitors were reduced to 13 men for an eight-minute spell.
But Sale weathered that particular storm, keeping Bath out, before Ewels was sin-binned five minutes from time and Langdon’s converted try secured a dramatic win, despite McGuigan seeing yellow.
Comments on RugbyPass
The side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
4 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
4 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
4 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
4 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to comments