Spencer’s try double puts Bath in control
Spencer twice crossed with Sharks players in the sin-bin and Rhys Priestland was perfect from the tee.
Bath’s opening try came from in-form wing Ruaridh McConnochie and Jonathan Joseph confirmed the extra point that lifts Bath into third above Sale.
Rohan Janse van Rensburg, and twins Jean-Luc du Preez and Daniel du Preez scored the hosts’ tries.
Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper said: “It’s not just about the name on the back of the shirt, it’s about the attributes they bring to the game and Ben Spencer has brought what we thought.
“He leads the boys around the field, he demands standards and he’s got a game which is the nuts and bolts of scrumhalf play. It’s world-class, genuinely world-class. He’s definitely demonstrated what he can do, dictating the tempo of the game and then nailing the basics.”
“Pre-lockdown and during lockdown they were amazing, they worked incredibly hard. Everything’s different, there are so many rules, regulations and restrictions outside of the pitch so when they get on there, that’s their moment of freedom, that’s their chance to go and play.”
Sale, who dropped from second in the table to fourth, looked in control for 20 minutes and led when Van Rensburg scored after an AJ MacGinty offload, but Bath replied with McConnochie’s ninth try in 11 games.
And, when Sale captain
Jono Ross was yellow carded for tripping, Bath scored ten points. Priestland knocked over a penalty and Spencer grounded Joseph’s kick through.
Another MacGinty offload, this time to JeanLuc du Preez, closed the gap to two points after the break but two more errors proved costly for Sale.
Newly-returned former England hooker Rob BEN Spencer starred as Bath won their fourth successive Premiership game to earn a bonus-point win over top-four rivals Sale.
Webber was sent to the sinbin just 12 minutes after coming on for playing the ball off the floor, and then Spencer dispossessed Marland Yarde to stroll in.
Sale hit back through Daniel du Preez but Joseph secured Bath a bonus-point win when he gathered a high ball under the Sale posts.
Boss Steve Diamond revealed that World Cup winning lock forward Lood De Jager, so pivotal to their lineout, will require surgery on his injured shoulder and will potentially be out for six months.
Diamond added: “We didn’t play well and they played pretty well. They stuck to their guns and sorted us out in the lineout. We had no answer to that.
“If you can’t get any setpiece ball and you get two yellow cards, and you give double figure penalties away, maybe we’ve reached our level. Maybe we’re not good enough to be in the top four and that’s what I said to the lads.
“We created a lot of chances. It wasn’t as though there was no invention but, if you give two yellow cards away and can’t win a lineout, we’re doing well to score 22 points.”