Sharks go on attack with Ford in control

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Bristol ……………………………13pts

Tries: Caulfield 9

Conversions: Sheedy 10

Penalties: Sheedy 42, 53

Sale ……………………………… 27pts

Tries: Reed 24, James 46, R Du Preez 49, Carpenter 59

Conversions: Ford 49, 59

Drop goal: Ford 28

A STRONG secondhalf performance from Sale paved the way for this impressive bonus point win on the road against a Bristol side that flattered to deceive.

Sale scored three tries after the break as their flinty pack, with Dan Du Preez and Ben Curry to the fore, began to finally get on top and dictate affairs. Bristol meanwhile had their moments and will be disappointed not to have salvaged at least a losing bonus point.

Sale fly-half George Ford said: “It was scrappy to start with and we had to manage those first 20 minutes until we started finding our game, but we did that and I was confident we would take the game to Bristol after the break.

“We spoke about needing more intensity and it was right there in the second half.”

A first-half brim-full of attacking intent may only have garnered a try apiece but there was entertainment aplenty although both sides at times lacked the precision to finish off the chances they created.

It was Bristol who looked the likeliest side early on, a situation helped by the ever-combative Curry having to spend 10 minutes in the bin when he mistimed a challenge on Rich Lane as he went up to field a high ball.

The versatile Lane, who scored a hat-trick last week, had originally been selected on the wing but switched to full-back when Max Malins withdrew in the morning with illness.

One of the many brilliant products of the Championship, Lane looked to the manor born and played a huge role in manufacturing Bristol's try on nine minutes. He collected a hurried pass from Virimi Vakatawa and did well to make good yardage in traffic down the blindside before off-loading to the recently arrived France centre who found Josh Caulfield in support for a smartly worked try which seemed to augur well.

Callum Sheedy converted but Bristol then found themselves defending fiercely as Sale went through the gears.

Initially, Bristol's defence held but, with a lengthy advantage being played, Sale eventually chanced their arm with a long pass to Aaron Reed and the left wing, arguably the quickest in the Premiership over 20-30m, sprinted home despite the best efforts of Lane.

Ford missed a tricky conversion but soon after, having got his eye in during the World Cup, unleashed a sweetly struck 30m drop goal which saw Sale go into the lead.

Bristol were pressing hard on half-time under the Sale posts but strong scrummaging from Nick Schonert earned Sale an invaluable penalty and turnover.

After the break Bristol briefly regained the lead through a Sheedy penalty but that seemed to only galvanise Sale, who effectively put the game to bed with a 15 minute burst of scoring.

A sumptuous double pump and delayed pass by Ford put Sam James in under the posts after Sale had made ground from a scrum five and then skipper Rob Du Preez read Bristol like a book a few moments later to sprint home from 65m for an interception try.

Du Preez went off after that but his replacement Joe Carpenter was a constant threat thereafter.

Sheedy did claw back another penalty but good vision from Ford in midfield helped send Joe Carpenter in for Sale's bonus point try.

Bristol, with Harry Thacker and back row replacement Dan Thomas to the fore, desperately tried to get something going but the home side had lacked a cutting edge all game and that continued to the final whistle.