Bath Rugby
Sale win moves club into third spot
Bath Rugby’s play-offs fate is now in their own hands thanks to a momentous 37-22 victory over top four rivals Sale Sharks away at the AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday.
The pure fact of the matter is, if Bath keep winning they will be in the play-offs in October and competing for the Gallagher Premiership title.
Jonathan Joseph touched down with two minutes remaining in the contest to secure all five match points available, scoring his side’s fourth try of the game as he gather a sublime chip kick from Ben Spencer and then wrestled his way to the ground.
Summer signing Spencer scored twice in another man of the match performance as he touched down a clever kick through from Joseph earlier in the match and then picked the pockets of former England winger Marland Yarde to intercept the ball and race in when Sale were chasing the game.
However Bath’s try scoring was started by a familiar figure in the towering shape of red hot winger Ruaridh Mcconnochie who can’t stop scoring at the moment.
Mcconnochie scored his sixth try in as many games by running through the attempted double tackle by Manu Tuilagi and Luke James before showing his speed to race in.
Sale’s South African’s kept them in the contest throughout with big centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg and twin forwards Jean-luc and Daniel du Preez both crashing over but in the end their indiscipline cost them with Jono Ross and Rob Webber both earning yellow cards.
But Bath had all the answers when questions were asked of them with Sam Underhill coming out on top in the battle of the backrows against the Sharks’ lauded Curry twins and Blue, Black and White skipper Charlie Ewels was pivotal during some huge moments in the line out.
Bristol Bears’ heavy 59-35 defeat away at Wasps on Sunday means Bath are now up to third in the table behind Exeter Chiefs and Wasps, with Sale in fourth with two rounds of the regular season remaining.
Bristol, who put out a second side for the trip to the Ricoh Arena with one eye on the club’s European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Dragons on Friday, drop down to fifth place, albeit level on 59 points with Sale.
Bath’s early exit from the Champions Cup earlier this season means they now have eight days off before hosting Gloucester on September 22 in what is shaping up to be one of the most significant in recent years.
Sale Sharks: L James, Solomona, Tuilagi, van Rensburg (S James), Yarde (Reed), Macginty, de Klerk (Cliff), Morozov (Oosthuizen), van der Merwe (Webber; Reed), John (Cooper-woolley), Postlethwaite, J du Perez, Ross, B Curry, T Curry (D du Perez).
Tries: van Rensburg, J du Perez, D du Perez. Cons: Macginty (2). Pens: Macginty.
Bath Rugby: de Glanville, Hamer-webb, Joseph (Chudley), Matavesi (Redpath), Mcconnochie, Priestland, Spencer, Obano (Schoeman), Dunn, Stuart (Thomas), Mcnally (Spencer), Ewels, Bayliss (Ellis), Underhill, Faletau. Subs not used: Batty.
Tries: Mcconnochie, Spencer (2), Joseph. Cons: Priestland (4). Pens: Priestland (3)
Referee: Matthew Carley.