mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
Bath player ratings: Bath returned to winning ways after three defeats as they saw off Sale Sharks 36-28 at The Rec in a contest that got worse as the afternoon wore on.
The hosts repeatedly punished Sale’s defensive spacing, with Tom de Glanville at the center of their best attacking work and Joe Cokanasiga crossing twice. Miles Reid was a huge influence at the breakdown, while Ollie Lawrence and Max Ojomoh repeatedly threatened in midfield as Bath built enough of a cushion to withstand Sale’s late rally and secure all five points.
15 Tom de Glanville – 9
Bat’s best player. He hit a nice line and slotted through Spencer’s lightning pass for his first-half try before creating Cokanasiga’s first score with a superb move that took two defenders with him. Broke the Sale line again just before halftime and finished with three line breaks in just six plays. Three missed matches were the only real blemish.
14 for Joe Cocanasi – 8.5
Two tries and a constant physical threat. He benefited from de Glanville’s clever movement for his first before doing considerably more himself for the second, climbing above O’Flaherty to meet Russell’s cross-field shot and then handling on the line. Nine disposals, two line breaks and three defenders beaten made for an imposing afternoon, although he missed three overs.
13 Ollie Lawrence – 8
He threatened almost every time he received the ball. He broke through Sale’s defense early on but couldn’t quite free Arundell in front of him, then produced an important penalty for breaking through when Sale’s attack started to become uneven. Six sacks, two line breaks and two defenders beaten underlined how difficult it was to contain him.
12 Max Ojomoh – 8
Another strong performance from Bath’s midfield. Carried 11 times, second only to Bayliss among Bath players, and constantly posed questions to Sale with his footwork and ability to play on the line. He added nine tackles on defense and provided a reliable bridge between Russell and dangerous runners outside of him.
11 Henry Arundell – 8
He made an immediate impact in his first appearance of the season. Russell’s pinpoint cross gave him the chance to speed down the field before Curry tapped in superbly and moments later he was happy to slot through a disastrously wide gap in the Sale defense to score from halfway. Added three line breaks and two dominant takedowns, although four turnovers prevented an even higher mark.
10 Finn Russell – 8
Set the tone for Bath’s ambitions with a quick strike and a perfect shot across the field for Arundell in the opening minutes. Produced another accurate kick for Cokanasiga’s second try and generally started Sale intelligently. Four missed tackles and an early missed penalty dampened the performance, but his attacking impact was significant.
9 Ben Spencer – 7
He gave Bath their usual control and made a great pass that put de Glanville on the line for his try. He wasn’t asked to dominate proceedings individually as outside threats kept finding space, but he kept Bata moving effectively before being replaced by Van der Linde.
1 Beno Obano – 7
He had to endure periods of genuine sales pressure, but remained competitive and contributed on the pitch. He beat two defenders on five carries and finished five tackles before being pulled late.
2 Dan Frost – 7.5
Another diligent presentation of the whore. He finished with 11 tackles, two of which were dominant, and beat two defenders with the ball in hand. Bath’s forward effort wasn’t always comfortable at tackle time, but Frost’s work outside the box was consistently strong.
3 Archie Griffin – 7
A busy defensive shift with 11 tackles, one of Bath’s highest totals, during his 50 minutes. He was part of a front row that was at times under pressure from Sale’s fightback but battled well enough before Stuart arrived to help turn that area back in Bath’s favour.
4 Will Jeanes – 7
I got through a solid job before starting the second half. He carried eight times and completed seven tackles, providing plenty of industry in a match where Bath often looked to move the point of attack rather than just play through their own five.
5 Charlie Ewels – 6
A quieter afternoon compared to several of Bat’s other strikers. He carried seven times and made six tackles but missed three, with Sale finding some success in breaking through Bath’s front line during their better attacking spells.
6 Ted Hill – 7
A mixed but menacing performance. He made two line breaks and beat three defenders from six carries, showing his athleticism whenever Bath found space, although three missed tackles were a significant negative. Replaced after an hour before the late return.
7 Miles Reid – 9
Great in a breakdown. His penalty inside Bath’s 22 in the opening minutes allowed Russell to launch an attack that immediately led to Arundell’s first chance, and he finished with three turnovers – the most of the match. He added seven tries, some at very crucial moments, and was one of Bath’s most influential forwards.
8 Josh Bayliss – 8
Bat’s busiest carrier with 14 tries and was continuously offered as an option through the mid and wide channels. Beat two defenders and made six tackles, providing the kind of mobility that allowed Bath to contain Sale in defence.
Substitutions – 8
Louie Hennessey made an immediate impact with a try minutes after coming on, Tom Dunn won two turnovers and Will Stuart helped earn a penalty against a Sale set that had previously caused Bath problems.
