Bath Rugby delivered a dominant performance at the rain-soaked Recreation Ground on Saturday, securing a bonus-point 20-0 victory over Sale Sharks. This win bolsters their hopes of reaching the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-finals.
The hosts were clinical in the first half, crossing the try line three times through Dan Frost, Tom de Glanville, and Arthur Green. Sale Sharks had a try disallowed, leaving the halftime score at 15-0.
In the second half, Bath added one more try, with Will Butt finishing off a smart break. Defensively, Bath were resolute, keeping Sale scoreless throughout.
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Rugby writer Sam Jess breaks down the individual player contributions for Bath Rugby:
15 Tom de Glanville – 6
Operating at fullback, de Glanville showed neat attacking flair but struggled with his kicking boots, missing all conversions from wide angles after a perfect record last week.
14 Sam Winters – 6
After scoring last week, Winters found handling difficult in the wet conditions, dropping a few crucial passes. However, his running lines improved as the game progressed.
13 Chris Harris – 6
Returning to the side, Harris added midfield stability and demonstrated his knack for attacking close to the line.
12 Will Butt – 6
Composed and solid in defense, Butt’s highlight was a well-timed race onto a kick from Le Roux to score in the corner.
11 Charlie Griffin – 6
Shifted to the wing, Griffin was quiet and could have sought more involvement, as opportunities to get ball in hand were limited.
10 Cameron Redpath – 7
Playing fly-half for the first time since January 2022, Redpath was steady with excellent distribution and carved notable line breaks.
9 Tom Carr-Smith – 8
In his first start in a month, Carr-Smith controlled the game with pace and smart kicking, including a clever quick tap that led to Bath’s third try.
1 Scott Kirk – 6
Recovering from last week’s early exit, Kirk contributed solid carries though the scrum showed some vulnerability.
2 Dan Frost – 7
Starting in only his second match for Bath, hooker Frost excelled at the lineout and scored a try from close range with a well-timed run.
3 Kieran Verden – N/A
Suffered a serious head knock early and was replaced.
4 Harvey Cuckson – 6
A quietly effective presence in the second-row, disrupting Sale’s lineout and maul.
5 Ewan Richards – 7
Returning from England A duties, captain Richards provided lineout security and was a constant threat at the breakdown.
6 Ethan Staddon – 6
Worked tirelessly across the pitch, contributing in both attack and defense.
7 Miles Reid – 7
Dominant at the breakdown and active in attack, Reid’s support lines consistently kept Bath on the front foot.
8 Arthur Green – 8
Following a strong bench performance last week, Green started with impact, driving hard carries and breaking lines before scoring a try just before halftime.
Replacements:
16 Tom Dunn – 6
Maintained lineout stability when introduced.
17 Francois van Wyk – 7
Earned a penalty with his first scrum involvement off the bench.
18 Vilikesa Sela – 7
Stepped up following Verden’s injury, showing his class on debut with plenty of ball and solid defense.
19 Quinn Roux – 6
Added power and disruption, contributing to forcing errors from Sale.
20 Ross Molony – 6
Helped stifle Sale’s limited attacking threats upon entry.
21 Neil Le Roux – 6
Slower tempo than Carr-Smith but delivered a clever kicked assist for Bath’s fourth try.
22 Ted Hill – 6
Returning from injury, showed flashes of skill despite limited game-time.
23 Kepueli Tuipulotu – 6
The wet conditions curbed his attacking flair, but he impressed with powerful collisions.