Bok tries not enough as Sale go down

PREMIERSHIP SUNDAY WRAP: A strong Sale Sharks side went down 22-37 at home to Bath in Round 20 of the 2019/2020 Premiership season on Sunday.

The result saw the visitors leapfrog Sale into third place in the standings as the play-offs draw nearer.

Ruaridh McConnochie, Ben Spencer (two) and Jonathan Joseph were the try-scorers for Bath with Rhys Priestland adding 17 points with the boot.

Sale's tries were all scored by Springboks with Rohan Janse van Rensburg scoring in the first half and brothers Dan and Jean-Luc du Preez scoring in the second half.

In Sunday's other matches, Wasps outplayed Bristol 59-35 and Leicester Tigers edged Northampton Saints 28-24 at Welford Road.

In London, Worcester Warriors were too good for London Irish with a 40-25 win. In Sunday's late game Saracens smashed log leaders Exeter Chiefs 40-17.

Sale got off the mark early by making a period of sustained pressure in the Bath 22 count. An explosive burst from AJ MacGinty saw the flyhalf find Janse van Rensberg, who crashed over to score. MacGinty added the extras to put the Sharks 7-0 up after four minutes.

The Sharks had the opportunity to add to their lead after Bath gave away a penalty. However, MacGinty’s kick steered just wide of the sticks and the scoreline remained unchanged.

The away side searched for their first try of the day in the following minutes and McConnochie capitalised on a slipped Sale tackle and ran over unchallenged. Priestland followed up with the conversion to draw Bath level.

Bath continued to grow in confidence and took the lead for the first time in the game, after Sale were penalised for a collapse at the maul and Priestland was good for the three points from the tee.

Then a chip from Jonathan Joseph set the away side through to score in the corner and Priestland converted from the edge. This put Bath ten points ahead after 31 minutes, as the Sharks struggled to gather momentum since conceding their first try of the day.

Sale came agonisingly close to getting their second try of the day just before half-time, after a brilliant chip and chase from AJ and an exchange of passes with Tom Curry put the flyhalf through. However, the USA international was tackled just before the tryline.

The Sharks thought they had made the perfect start to the second half, as Marland Yarde ran over to score, only for the resulting pass to him to be deemed forward and the try not being awarded.

The home side eventually got their second try of the day as a great attacking move saw Jean Luc du Preez bulldoze his way over the line. MacGinty steered the conversion wide, but the deficit was reduced to five points with 25 minutes left to play.

Sale won a penalty in the 57th minute and MacGinty was good for the kick this time. However, Bath slotted home a penalty of their own a couple of minutes later, with Priestland adding another three points for his side.

The Sharks conceded another penalty moments later and again, Priestland made no mistakes with the kick, increasing the gap between the sides.

The day was going from bad to worse for the home side as Spencer intercepted Marland Yarde to run over unopposed. Priestland added the extras and Bath had a 15-point lead with 10 minutes to go.

Dan du Preez joined his twin on the scoreboard as he got over under the posts and the try was quickly converted by MacGinty, as the Sharks searched to get something from the game with just over five minutes to play.

Bath took away any momentum Sale had in the closing minutes as Jonathan Joseph scored under the posts and Priestland converted, putting an end to a frustrating afternoon for Sale at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Sale Sharks 22-37 Bath

The scorers:

For Sale Sharks:

Tries: Janse van Rensburg, JL du Preez, D du Preez

Cons: MacGinty 2

Pen: MacGinty

For Bath:

Tries: McConnochie, Spencer 2, Joseph

Cons: Priestland 4

Pens: Priestland 3

Yellow cards: Jono Ross (Sale, 22); Rob Webber (Sale, 61)

Teams:

Sale Sharks: 15 Luke James, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Marland Yarde, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Tom Curry, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 Jean-Luc du Preez, 4 Matt Postlethwaite, 3 Will-Griff John, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Valery Morozov

Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Dan du Preez, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Sam James, 23 Arron Reed

Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Josh Bayliss, 5 Charlie Ewels (captain), 4 Josh McNally, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano

Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Will Spencer, 20 Tom Ellis, 21 Miles Reid, 22 Will Chudley, 23 Cameron Redpath

Referee: Matthew Carley

Assistant referees: Luke Pearce & Tom Foley

TMO: Stuart Terheege

Wasps 59-35 Bristol Bears

The scorers:

For Wasps:

Tries: J Willis, Bassett, Cruse, Rowlands, Kibirige, Robson, Penalty Try, T Willis, Oghre

Cons: Gopperth 6

For Bristol:

Tries: Malins 2, O'Conor, Penalty Try McCabe

Cons: Malins 4

Yellow card: James Gaskell (Wasps, 73)

Teams:

Wasps: 15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Jack Willis, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (captain), 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tom Cruse, 1 Ben Harris.

Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Tom West, 18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 19 James Gaskell, 20 Thomas Young, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Ryan Mills, 23 Marcus Watson.

Bristol: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Piers O’Conor, 12 Alapati Leiua, 11 Jack Bates, 10 Max Malins, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Jake Heenan (captain), 7 Dan Thomas, 6 James Dun, 5 Joe Joyce, 4 Ed Holmes, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Will Capon, 1 Yann Thomas.

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Peter McCabe, 18 John Afoa, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Mitch Eadie, 21 Tom Kessell, 22 Harry Ascherl, 23 Charlie Powell.

Referee: Ian Tempest

Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley & Simon McConnell

TMO: Graham Hughes

Leicester Tigers 28-24 Northampton Saints

The scorers:

For Leicester Tigers:

Try: Youngs

Con: Henry

Pens: Henry 5, Steward

DG: Henry

For Northampton Saints:

Tries: Hill, Penalty Try, Taylor

Cons: Biggar 2

Pen: Biggar

Yellow cards: Tomas Lavanini (Tigers, 27); Harry Wells (Tigers, 28); Hanro Liebenberg (Tigers, 55); David Ribbans (Saints, 65)

Teams:

Leicester: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Kini Murimurivalu, 13 Guy Porter, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Zack Henry, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Harry Wells, 5 Calum Green, 4 Tomás Lavanini, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs (captain), 1 Facundo Gigena.

Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Nephi Leatigaga, 19 Thom Smith, 20 Jordan Taufua, 21 Ben White, 22 Johnny McPhillips, 23 Harry Potter.

Northampton: 15 George Furbank, 14 Ahsee Tuala, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Teimana Harrison (captain), 7 Lewis Ludlam, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Api Ratuniyarawa, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Owen Franks, 2 James Fish, 1 Francois van Wyk.

Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Alex Moon, 20 Nick Isiekwe, 21 JJ Tonks, 22 Henry Taylor, 23 Fraser Dingwall.

Referee: Wayne Barnes

Assistant referees: Sara Cox & Paul Dix

TMO: Rowan Kitt

London Irish 25-40 Worcester Warriors

The scorers:

For London Irish:

Tries: Loader, Tuisue, Meehan, Homer

Con: Jackson

Pen: Jackson

For Worcester Warriors:

Tries: Hougaard 2, Nanai, Lawrence 2, Howe

Cons: Weir 5

Yellow cards: Isaac Curtis-Harris (London Irish, 31); Terrence Hepetema (London Irish, 47)

Teams:

London Irish: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Matt Williams, 12 Terrence Hepetema, 11 James Stokes, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Albert Tuisue, 7 Isaac Curtis-Harris, 6 Matt Rogerson (captain), 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 4 George Nott, 3 Lovejoy Chawatama, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Harry Elrington.

Replacements: 16 Ben Atkins, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Ben Donnell 21 Ben Meehan, 22 Theo Brophy Clews, 23 Ollie Hassell-Collins.

Worcester: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Tom Howe, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Noah Heward, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Cornell du Preez, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Ted Hill (captain), 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Ethan Waller.

Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Callum Black, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Tom Dodd, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Ollie Lawrence.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Assistant referees: Simon Harding & Phil Watters

TMO: Claire Hodnett

Saracens 40-17 Exeter Chiefs

The scorers:

For Saracens:

Tries: Segun, Morris, Obatoyinbo, Venter, Boon

Cons: Vunipola 3

Pens: Vunipola 3

For Exeter Chiefs:

Tries: Cordero, Witty, Dennis

Con: Skinner

Teams:

Saracens: 15 Will Hooley, 14 Rotimi Segun, 13 Dom Morris, 12 Harry Sloan, 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Tom Whiteley, 8 Janco Venter, 7 Sean Reffell, 6 Calum Clark, 5 Callum Hunter-Hill, 4 Joel Kpoku, 3 Alec Clarey, 2 Kapeli Pifeleti, 1 Sam Crean.

Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 Josh Ibuanokpe, 19 Cameron Boon, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Alex Day, 22 Juan Pablo Socino, 23 Josh Hallett.

Exeter: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Josh Hodge, 13 Corey Baldwin, 12 Tom Wyatt, 11 Facundo Cordero, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Joe Snow, 8 Don Armand (captain), 7 Richard Capstick, 6 Sean Lonsdale, 5 Tom Price, 4 Will Witty, 3 Alfie Petch, 2 Jack Innard, 1 Billy Keast.

Replacements: 16 Jordon Poole, 17 James Kenny, 18 Matt Johnson, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Aaron Hinkley, 21 Will Yarnell, 22 Jack Walsh, 23 Luke Mehson.

Referee: Adam Leal

Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson & Gareth Holsgrove

TMO: Sean Davey

Source: @SaleSharksRugby