Two sent off as Bath overpower Sale to go top

Gallagher Premiership

Bath (21) 40

Tries: Muir, Reid, Du Toit, Hill, Carr-Smith, Van Wyk Cons: Russell 5

Sale (6) 13

Tries: Addison Cons: R. Du Preez Pens: R. Du Preez 2

Bath went top of the Premiership with a six-try show of power against hapless Sale in a game that saw two red cards.

The Blue, Black and Whites were irresistible in the first half as Will Muir, Miles Reid and Thomas du Toit all crossed and the Sharks clung on through two Rob du Preez penalties.

The second half brought a bonus-point try from Ted Hill and then a dismissal apiece as Bath’s Will Butt saw red for a dangerous tackle on Le Roux Roets, and 10 minutes later Sale’s Nye Thomas followed after making head contact with Muir as he helped to prevent another score by the home side.

The brief man advantage buoyed Sale as they hit back through Will Addison but Tom Carr-Smith reacted to the visitors’ own dismissal with a killer fifth try, before Francois van Wyk added a late sixth.

More to follow.

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Hennessey, Butt, Muir; Russell, Schreuder; Reid, Pepper, Hill, Molony, Roux, du Toit, Dunn, Obano.

Replacements: Annett, Van Wyk, Sela, Bayliss, Staddon, Carr-Smith, Bailey, Coetzee

Red card: Will Butt (51 mins)

Sale: Carpenter; Addison, James, Bedlow, Reed; R. du Preez, Warr; McIntyre, McElroy, Harper, Bamber, Andrews, van Rhyn, Dugdale, D. du Preez.

Replacements: Caine, Onasanya, Opoku-Fordjour, Roets, Beaumont, Thomas, Curtis, JL du Preez

Red card: Nye Thomas (61 mins)

Referee: Karl Dickson