Bath enjoy armchair ride against Sale thanks to Thomas du Toit and dominant pack

Bath truly have come a long way in the past couple of years. They had three tries after 26 minutes against Sale, their relentless scrum was churning out multiple penalties, they had a defence which rarely cracked and Finn Russell being Finn Russell. It all added up to too much for the visitors to handle.

Bath finished with six tries and Will Butt’s red card for a tip tackle in the 51st minute barely halted their momentum.

Ted Hill was player of the match and a sound choice, although Thomas du Toit was once again outstanding. Sale’s defence parted for his try while the Springbok prop also created Will Muir’s opener with a deft offload back inside that Russell would have been proud of. His signing has been a quite magnificent bit of business.

“The distance he ran for his try was the biggest for all of his tries,” joked Johann van Graan, Bath’s director of rugby. “Where else in the world can you find a loosehead and tighthead combined into one. How good are his hands, putting Will through the gap.”

Van Graan seemed happiest afterwards with Bath’s consistency and that was reflected in this controlled, dominant performance which put them top of the league. Their forwards were too strong. When you can pick from a wide group to be player of the match – Hill, Du Toit, Russell, Ross Molony, Miles Reid and Muir to name a few – you know you have something cooking.

By contrast, Sale struggled. That is now 87 points conceded over the past two matches. “Too easy,” their director of rugby Alex Sanderson kept repeating afterwards, quite rightly. Missed tackles on first and second phase killed Sale, particularly for Du Toit and Hill’s tries, with Sanderson calling for his squad to “show more teeth”. The upcoming break could not come at a better time.

Their scrum was so up against it, that tighthead James Harper was tactically replaced after half an hour. “He wasn’t producing the pictures [referee] Karl Dickson wanted at the scrum,” Sanderson conceded, while being full of praise for the effort from Harper’s replacement Asher Opoku-Fordjour, who looks some talent.

Those six conceded tries are obviously concerning but the bluntness of Sale’s attack was also stark, only finding a way through Bath’s defence thanks to Will Addison’s superb finish in the corner. Otherwise they lacked the killer passes or offloads to prise Bath open. The spark which George Ford provides in spades was missed.

Sale’s lack of threat naturally becomes more apparent when you have Russell on the other side getting an armchair ride, flinging out flat passes to get his runners over the gain line without any pressure.

Bath’s slickest attack in fact did not produce a try, but came from a line-out in Sale’s 22 where they went from touchline to touchline in three phases, denied only by a head-on-head tackle by Nye Thomas on Muir which led to the scrum-half being sent off.

That came after Butt’s red card and Addison’s great finish gave Sale a glimmer of hope. Instead Bath – too composed, too good – snuffed that hope out.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 5-0 try Muir try, 7-0 Russell con, 7-3 R du Preez pen, 12-3 Reid try, 14-3 Russell con, 14-6 R de Preez pen, 19-6 Du Toit try, 21-6 Russell con, 26-6 Hill try, 28-6 Russell con, 28-11 Addison try, 28-13 R du Preez con, 33-13 Carr-Smith try, 35-13 Russell con, 40-13 Van Wyk try.

Bath: T de Glanville; J Cokanasiga, L Hennessey, W Butt, W Muir (O Bailey 61); F Russell, L Schreuder (T Carr-Smith 58); B Obano (F van Wyk 54), T Dunn (N Annett 58), T du Toit (V Sela 71), Q Roux, R Molony, T Hill (E Staddon 71), G Pepper (J Coetzee 49), M Reid (c, J Bayliss 58).
Red card: Butt 51.

Sale Sharks: J Carpenter; W Addison, L James, S Bedlow (T Curtis 52), A Reed; R du Preez, G Warr (N Thomas 51); S McIntyre (T Onasanya 67), T McElroy (E Caine 49), J Harper (A Opoku-Fordjour 30, J Harper 68), B Bamber (L Roets 49), H Andrews (J Beaumont 40), E van Rhyn (J du Preez 27), S Dugdale, D du Preez.
Red card: Thomas 61

Referee: K Dickson.

Attendance: 14,509.

05:01 PM BST

FULL TIME: Bath 40 Sale 13

Bath were clinical there and you suspect they didn’t even hit top gear. Sale weren’t really at the races, they started poorly and never really got going.

05:00 PM BST

TRY FOR BATH!

Bath 40 Sale 13

Finn Russell dances through a tackle or two five metres out, it looks as though he’s going to score, but falls just short...the ball is recycled and it’s the prop Francois van Wyk who charges over from short range. Russell misses the conversion but this game is very much done and dusted...

04:54 PM BST

74 mins: Bath 35 Sale 13

Lovely offloading from Bath keeps the ball alive and allows them to move into the Sale 22...but, not for the first time today, Cokanasiga spills the ball and the move comes to nothing.

04:52 PM BST

70 mins: Bath 35 Sale 13

Sale have a line-out in the Bath 22, can they create something from this?

‘No’ is the long and short of it as they move the ball inside but Ethan Staddon turns the ball over having just come on for the hosts.

04:48 PM BST

67 mins: Bath 35 Sale 13

Collector’s item as Russell tries an offload that doesn’t work, the pass going forward.

Meanwhile, James Harper is back on having been subbed after 30 minutes, Si McIntyre the man coming off with what looks like a back spasm.

04:42 PM BST

64 mins: Bath 35 Sale 13

That feels as though it’s the decisive score. It’s 14 vs 14 now and Bath are back in the ascendancy.

04:41 PM BST

TRY FOR BATH!

Bath 35 Sale 13

Line-out for Bath five yards out. They create a driving maul before shipping the ball right. The ball goes to ground but it’s backwards from another delightful Russell offload and eventually Tom Carr-Smith scores in the corner. Russell adds the two points.

04:37 PM BST

56 mins: Bath 28 Sale 13

Muir looks for all the world as though he’s going to score in the left corner after an offload from Russell. Two Sale defenders seeing him into touch...

BUT there’s a head-on-head collision, Nye Thomas not going low enough on the Bath man. It looks bad (no malice, I hasten to add) and after Dickson, the ref, and the TMO have a chat the Sale sub is shown a red card and it’s 14 vs 14...

There’s no penalty try as the first tackler did enough to bundle Muir into touch.

04:32 PM BST

56 mins: Bath 28 Sale 13

Real signs of life from Sale now, they’re attacking well and moving the ball well. Will Muir defends brilliantly with some Go-Go-Gadget arms, intercepting when Carpenter looked likely to score had the ball reached him.

04:30 PM BST

Butt doesn’t have too much of a defence

04:29 PM BST

TRY FOR SALE!

Bath 28 Sale 13

Lovely score from Will Addison in the corner after a lovely chip through from Joe Carpenter. The extras are added and for the first time this afternoon there are signs of life in the Sharks’ ranks.

04:23 PM BST

Sale defensive coaching team, look away now...

04:22 PM BST

52 mins: Bath 28 Sale 6

Bit of controversy as Will Butt is shown a red card for dangerous play.  Dickson deems him to be lifting a man dangerously in the tackle. The TNT commentary team think that is a bit harsh...

04:21 PM BST

50 mins: Bath 28 Sale 6

From the line-out Bath, for once, cannot create anything.

04:18 PM BST

48 mins: Bath 28 Sale 6

Bath are in the Sale 22, and win a scrum penalty. Russell kicks for the corner. Another good platform and chance to add a fifth try...

04:13 PM BST

TRY FOR BATH!

Bath 28 Sale 6

Bonus point wrapped up for Bath, thanks to some very brittle defence from Sale. It’s a soft try to concede at any level, but in the Premiership...oh dear. Ted Hill receives a pop pass and charges through two tacklers and runs in from outside the 22. A penny for the Sale defence coaching team’s thoughts...

04:09 PM BST

42 mins: Bath 21 Sale 6

Knock-on from Cokanasiga (after a great pass from Russell (he is soooooooooo good to watch (well worth the many Os), worth the admission fee alone)) gives Sale a scrum inside the Bath half. BUt once again from a decent attacking platform they create nothing.

04:06 PM BST

40 mins: Bath 21 Sale 6

They’re back under way in a sunny Bath. Sale need to show far more cutting edge this half, if they’re to have a chance.

04:00 PM BST

Calling all rugby fanatics!

03:51 PM BST

HALF TIME: Bath 21 Sale 6

Well played Bath - they’ve been clinical when in the Sale 22, Sale, on the otherhand, haven’t been clinical when in the hosts’ 22.

03:49 PM BST

No cutting edge for Sale

03:47 PM BST

37 mins: Bath 21 Sale 6

Sale are seeing a fair about ot the ball but are doing little with it. They’re hesitant and and just not at the races in attack.

03:43 PM BST

33 mins: Bath 21 Sale 6

Sale are in the Bath 22, but they are struggling to get over the gainline and are going backwards, out of the Bath 22 and the move peters out and ends with a knock on. They are lacking accuracy at the moment, they are hesitant and it’s hurting them.

03:41 PM BST

30 mins: Bath 21 Sale 6

Sale’s James Harper hasn’t had a 30 minutes to remember. The prop has struggled in the scrum and the loose and his match is already over...Sanderson hooking him before the break.

03:37 PM BST

Du Toit stealing the show

03:36 PM BST

TRY FOR BATH!

Bath 21 Sale 6

Having set up the first try with great hands, the prop Du Toit then shows the Sale defence a clean pair of heels. He’s in midfield and runs into the space created by a decoy run, does a half dummy and shows great acceleration. Russel slots home the conversion.

03:32 PM BST

PENALTY FOR SALE!

Bath 14 Sale 6

Du Preez makes no mistakes and the visitors are within eight of their hosts.

03:30 PM BST

21 mins: Bath 14 Sale 3

Line-out for the Sharks, it’s only five yards out. They are patient and keep the ball in hand and eventually earn a penalty in front of the posts. It’s no shock to see they opt to take the points.

03:27 PM BST

Bath pressure beginning to tell

03:27 PM BST

TRY FOR BATH!

Bath 14 Sale 3

Bath are in the Sale 22, they’ve been in here a fair bit without making it count in the past 10 minutes. Sale are having to commit numbers in tight confines, they’re defending well BUT the pressure tells as Miles Reid charges over from short range after five/six phases. Finn Russell adds the extras and the hosts are in control.

03:24 PM BST

How Bath went ahead

03:23 PM BST

15 mins: Bath 7 Sale 3

Good defence for Sale as Bath earn a penalty and kick for the corner. They move the ball inside but cannot get past the gainline as the visitors earn a scrum and the threat is gone.

Interesting game developing...

03:21 PM BST

PENALTY FOR SALE

Bath 7 Sale 3

The period of pressure and decent play pays off for Sale as Rob du Preez slots over.

03:17 PM BST

10 mins: Bath 7 Sale 0

Better from Sale, they’re working through the phases, being patient and keeping the ball in hand, that is until Bath turn the ball over. But promising signs for the visitors having gone behind early on.

03:15 PM BST

8 mins: Bath 7 Sale 0

Bath are looking dangerous with ball in hand. But as I typed that Sale are in the hosts’ half and earn a scrum. It’s a solid setpiece and then go down the blind side. Will Addison is well tackled by Will Muir.

03:11 PM BST

4 mins: Bath 7 Sale 0

That try was down to both props - Du Toit popping it up for the wing Muir, but it was the dummy run from Obano that created the space for the sppedster. Remarkable, and delightful, stuff.

03:09 PM BST

TRY FOR BATH!

Bath 7 Sale 0

Early line-out for Bath - decent attacking platform inside the Sale half. Can they make it count?

YES. THEY. CAN!

The ship the ball into the midfield. The ball comes to the big man Du Toit who pops it up to the left wing Muir, who then charges over the whitewash from all of  25 yards. Russell adds the extras and it’s an early lead for the hosts.

03:06 PM BST

1 min: Bath 0 Sale 0

They’re under way in glorious sunshine in Bath. The hosts are in their famous black and blue, Sale are in their orange getup, not a homage to the great Dutch football sides of the 70s and 80s.

03:00 PM BST

The teams are out on the pitch

And we’re moments away from kick-off.

02:59 PM BST

Watch out for the Bath back row

02:48 PM BST

Big day for Beno

02:43 PM BST

How they line up

BATH XV TO FACE SALE: 1. Beno Obano, 2. Tom Dunn, 3. Thomas du Toit, 4. Quinn Roux, 5. Ross Molony, 6. Ted Hill, 7. Guy Pepper, 8. Miles Reid, 9. Louis Schreuder, 10. Finn Russell, 11. Will Muir, 12. Will Butt, 13. Louie Hennessey, 14. Joe Cokanasiga, 15. Tom de Glanville

Replacements: 16. Niall Annett, 17. Francois van Wyk, 18. Billy Sela, 19. Josh Bayliss, 20. Ethan Staddon, 21. Tom Carr-Smith, 22. Orlando Bailey, 23. Jaco Coetzee

SALE XV TO FACE BATH: 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Tadgh McElroy, 3. James Harper, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Dan du Preez;  15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Will Addison, 13. Luke James, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez (c), 9. Gus Warr;

Replacements: 16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19. Le Roux Roets, 20. Josh Beaumont, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. JL du Preez.

02:33 PM BST

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02:23 PM BST

Bath looking continue fine form

Johann van Graan says his Bath side will not be affected by England call ups when they face Sale this afternoon. With Steve Borthwick’s men facing the All Blacks at Twickenham next Saturday today’s hosts will be without five players. But for their coach that should prove to be no obstacle as they look to make if five wins out of six.

“This weekend will the same for all teams who have English internationals. We knew from a few months ago that there’ll be a camp this week, what you don’t know is who will be picked. So for us, it’s not a massive disruption,” Van Graan said.

“Obviously, it would be great to have Ben, Ollie, Charlie, Sam and Will available but it’s the next man in. And at tighthead I think Thomas [du Toit] has been playing some excellent rugby, whether he’s playing from the bench or starting.

“We’ve also got Archie Griffin who is back in training, and then we’ve got Billy Sela who used his opportunity against Leicester, and Kieran Verden has been training in the background really well - we played him against Edinburgh a few weeks ago.

“Loose forwards, you’ve got Guy [Pepper], Miles [Reid], Ethan Staddon, Josh [Bayliss], you’ve got Jaco [Coetzee] available. Ewan Richards can play on the flanks, Tom Cowan is available.

“At nine you’ve got Louis [Schreuder], Tom Carr-Smith, Neil Le Roux, Ieuan Davies all available. At centre, Cam [Redpath], Louie Hennessey who has done really really well. Arguably, Will Butt has been one of the form players of the Premiership, he just keeps getting better every single week. It really is the next man in. It’s a squad and we are so proud of our squad. Every team will have to manage their squad this weekend.”

Bath edged out Harlequins 26-24 last time out to continue their fine form and Van Graan wants Bath to continue to be hard to defeat.

“We’ve become tough to beat over the last two and a half years,” he said.

“We have resilience and belief in what we do and we play for not only each other but everyone in our circle and every one at the club. We’ve very proud of what we do and we’ve got each other’s backs. The sign of a good team is when things don’t go your way, you keep your nerve and I think on both yellow cards, the other 14 guys backed up the player not on the pitch. That’s the sign of a good team, a hungry team and team who wants to keep getting better.”

Stay here for all the action with kick-off set for 3.05.