Things are progressing exceptionally well for Bath at this juncture. At long last, their long-awaited stadium upgrade appears on the verge of starting, and on the field, the reigning winners have started with back-to-back wins after the initial two rounds. With the star fly-half scheduled to return in action next week to reclaim the fly-half baton, it is will require a outstanding side to take their title.
On a wet and windy night in the West Country, however, they were pushed to their limits by a stubborn Sale Sharks team who stuck in the fight and persisted until the end. It was only with the final three minutes that the Bath center crossed the line to score his side’s fourth try to uphold his squad’s perfect start to the competition.
This was Sale’s fourth successive loss on their opponents’ ground and the nature of the loss was mostly typical to previous matches. Bath excel in squeezing teams in the closing stages of games, and here was yet another instance of it. The hosts might have simplified matters for themselves had they opted to kick an earlier penalty to extend their lead to eight points, but finally, the young center had the decisive moment.
The observing England head coach the national team boss had an abundance of other players to check out, with the powerful center and Henry Arundell also looking eager to stand out. Sale’s Nathan Jibulu scored a second-half try and is evidently a emerging star, while the generalship and kicking accuracy of the calm George Ford were notable in testing conditions.
George Ford stood out for the Sharks despite the defeat.
It was yet another rain-soaked evening when a cover on the open makeshift seating would have kept fans dry. Their tickets can still be priced at a hundred pounds, but a reprieve is close at hand. After decades of arguing, the green light has been awarded for an 18,000-spectator stadium, with Unesco and the relevant official having endorsed the project.
That merely leaves Bath awaiting final authorization, which the club are confident will materialise within a short period. And when Bath do finally have their own riverside palace to match their remarkably team roster, life is going to become even tougher for opposing teams.
Not to suggest Sale were in any frame of mind to be frightened in a hard-fought if somewhat disjointed first half. Bath were unfortunate to lose their England lock Charlie Ewels to a knee injury inside eight minutes, and the Sale’s pack also made some initial progress. It was Bath, though, who showed resilience and registered the game’s initial points, just when Sale were threatening they were exposed down the left flank by the center before the swift Arundell whizzed around Tom O’Flaherty to score his first home Prem try for his long-supported side.
It was to be the theme of the half: glimpses of away team quality only for Bath to respond with clinical execution. The game was still less than 30 minutes old when they found the line once more, the flanker breaking through off the back of a Bath throw and passing to the inside center on his inside to cross with flair.
Luckily Sale still had the superb Ford to stay within reach. The national number 10 had already landed a finely judged penalty and a opportunistic drop-goal when a Bath drop-out bounced straight to him on the midfield. Having taken a second to compose himself, the stand-off nailed another accurate kick to reduce the lead before Beno Obano, from close range, claimed Bath’s next score with Sale’s captain the skipper temporarily suspended.
Coming back from 21-9 away from home would be a difficult task anywhere, especially against a Bath team with a numerical advantage and a stacked bench. It was a reflection of Sale’s determination, then, when they set up Jibulu from close range just a short time after the second-half kickoff to undermine any home complacency.
Ordinarily that is the indication for Bath to increase the tempo, but this time the Sale side were ready. They made their own series of substitutions and, at a five-point game, it took a brilliant tackle from the flanker to stop the strong runs of the center. A big collision by the defender also forced the Bath player to be substituted injured, but where it really counted, up on the scoreboard, Bath always find a way these days.
