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Bath move up to second in Premiership after late flurry sees off Sale
Every point is going to count over the closing furlongs of the Premiership season and, on this evidence, Bath will have reason to thank Finn Russell when the playoff sums are done. Among the Scotland fly-half’s reasons for relocating to the west country was a desire to compete for silverware and, along with Joe Cokanasiga, he was among the key architects of a significant win which elevates his side to second in the table.
A dominant last quarter from Bath’s forwards was also responsible for inflicting Sale’s sixth successive defeat in all competitions but Russell had a hand in four of his side’s five tries, kicked impressively from all angles and, for good measure, also landed thehis first drop goal of his Premiership career off his weaker left foot. Two tries for Cokanasiga and one for England’s Ollie Lawrence also rammed home Bath’s overall superiority.
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A lopsided final margin could have been even wider had Cokanasiga clung on to a pass from Lawrence in the closing moments when a hat‑trick for the big winger looked a formality. By then, though, the Sharks had long since been reeled in on a beautifully clear Sunday afternoon beside the River Avon and Russell had been subbed off in readiness for bigger missions ahead.
If a home win did not feel absolutely guaranteed with the scores tied at 24-24 with 17 minutes remaining, Sale’s set piece began to splutter and, with quick ball, there are few more expert than Russell at taking advantage. In the space of 12 minutes Bath rattled up 18 unanswered points, including Russell’s little left-footed wobbler of a drop goal, and propelled themselves to within two points of the leaders Northampton with five regular‑season games to play.
Alex Sanderson, Sale’s director of rugby, had it right afterwards when he described Bath as a team who can now win games in a range of ways. They can cut you open, as they did delightfully on two or three occasions with Russell pulling a range of strings, they can frustrate teams with the fine kicking game of the scrum‑half Ben Spencer or, if needed, they can go properly route one. Knit all three together and, if they can also stay mentally composed, it makes them potentially serious contenders this year.
It was not as if Sale were passive observers. At times they also attacked with purpose and Manu Tuilagi, spinning out of Russell’s tackle and burning off the cover to put his side in front in the first quarter, showed why Bayonne have forked out a barrowload of euros to sign him for next season. On this occasion, though, a rejuvenated Cokanasiga looked equally dangerous and, after an earlier opportunity had gone begging, Russell, Tom Dunn and a final Cam Redpath offload put him over to regain the lead.
George Ford, playing flat to the line as he did with England, was also asking questions against his old club and Sale struck first after half-time when Tom Roebuck intercepted a Spencer pass to scoot clear. Despite losing Alfie Barbeary at half-time with a tight hamstring, however, and Lawrence to a yellow card, Bath always seemed to have the ability to problem‑solve when required.
Cokanasiga, following a deft flick-on from Russell and support from Sam Underhill and the excellent Ted Hill, touched down his second – his 10th try in nine games – and, despite a Sam Dugdale reply for Sale, Bath were able to wrest away control of the contest when it mattered. With the Sharks set piece and maul under pressure, Dunn was at the bottom of the heap to secure a try bonus point before another nice offload this time from Will Muir put Lawrence over on the left.
Bath’s director of rugby, Johann van Graan, was at pains afterwards to stress that Russell is not the only weapon at his squad’s disposal but, equally, he conceded the Scot was playing a pivotal role as the club seek to taste success both domestically and in the Champions Cup. “He’s an incredible human being with a very unique personality,” Van Graan said, suggesting Russell had been swift to shrug off Scotland’s rollercoaster Six Nations campaign. “He’s got this ability to put the past behind him ... he just fits in straight away.”
Sanderson, having been on the receiving end, was equally full in his praise. “We got to him a couple of times today but it’s the moment that you don’t. The moment when you take the show-and-go, as we did in the second half. You feel like you are in a really good spot defensively and then it’s like: ‘Where has that come from?’ He has that X-factor to magic something out of nothing.”
Next up for Bath is Harlequins next week, another potentially spectacular contest. Win that and Van Graan’s side really will be in the mix, with a Champions Cup last‑16 tie in Exeter to follow. “As a club we’re dreaming big dreams,” Van Graan said, insisting his team are looking to compete on all fronts. At this rate they may yet do so.
