Bath Rugby delivered a strong performance at a rain-soaked Recreation Ground on Saturday, defeating Sale Sharks 20-0 to regain momentum in the PREM Rugby Cup.
The hosts started sharply, scoring three well-executed tries in the first half. Dan Frost opened the scoring with a precise finish, followed by tries from Tom de Glanville and Arthur Green. Sale Sharks had a try disallowed but were held scoreless as Bath led 15-0 at halftime.
In the second half, Bath added one more try through Will Butt, securing the bonus point victory and lifting them to third place in Pool A.
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Bath’s tactical approach shone through, especially in dominating the lineouts on both offense and defense. After Arthur Green’s powerful run, Bath earned a penalty due to illegal hands from Sale Sharks at the ruck. Although lineout execution was occasionally loose, Bath consistently recycled possession to maintain pressure.
Sale pushed hard, spending significant time inside Bath’s 22, but unforced errors and solid Bath defense prevented them from scoring. Notably, Sale’s Alex Willis narrowly missed an opportunistic try following a mishandled high ball from Sam Winters, allowing Bath to clear.
The final ten minutes of the first half saw Bath score twice more: de Glanville crossed the line before Green powered over after a quick tap from Tom Carr-Smith increased the lead.
The second half remained tightly contested, with Sale holding more possession but unable to break through Bath’s resilient defense. Bath introduced fresh legs in the “bomb squad,” not to break the game open but to gain ground and maintain control.
A rare foray into Sale’s 22 rewarded Bath with their fourth try when Will Butt collected a kick from Neil Le Roux, capping off a disciplined and determined team performance.
Bath Rugby lineup started with Tom de Glanville at 15 and included key players like Dan Frost, Will Butt, and Arthur Green. Sale Sharks’ team featured Alex Willis and Ollie Davies among others.
The match was officiated by referee Joe James, assisted by Jonathan Cook and James Clarke.