Sale Sharks move into top six with 6-3 win over Bath Rugby

Sale Sharks 6-3 Bath Rugby, AJ Bell Stadium
Scorecard

Sale Sharks have kept their hope of play-offs alive with a 6-3 win over Bath Rugby in a low-scoring encounter at AJ Bell Stadium on Friday.

This is Sale Sharks' 10th win from 20 games as they claim the sixth position in the table while Bath are at eighth place with 46 points.

England international Anthony Watson featured for over 70 minutes in the game after being on the sidelines for close to 13 months but apart from that there were not much positives for the visitors.

The last time these two teams met was at Recreation Ground during the Round 9 clash that ended in a 7-7 draw in front of a 13,319 spectators and things were even in the first half on Friday with Freddie Burns and Aj MacGinty scoring penalties apiece as the teams went into the break with a 3-3 scoreline.

With both the sides striving for points, MacGinty kicked the decisive penalty goal in the 65th minute to give a slender three point lead to the home side while Bath struggled to gain advantage with a yellow card to Zach Mercer in the 73rd minute further denting their chances as Steve Diamond's men completed a 6-3 win.

“The weather conditions weren’t great and both sides were a bit nervous for some reason," said Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond.

“All we’ve said over the last eight weeks is let’s take each one as it comes, there’s no point in looking at Bristol or Gloucester, let’s try and get four points, we’re not in bonus-point mentality.

“For some reason our attack isn’t flash but our scramble defence was brilliant and if anyone tells me there’s a difference between those Currys – there isn’t – they were both outstanding.

“You’ve got bad weather and you’ve got Underhill and the Currys who are three of the best fetchers in the competition who are trying to slow the ball down, you’re not going to get a free-flowing game with that.”