Bath overcome Sale in thriller to reach Premiership final

Bath booked their place in the Gallagher Premiership play-off final at Twickenham with a thrilling 31-23 victory over Sale Sharks at The Recreation Ground.

Replacement Niall Annett’s try with five minutes to play proved to be the match winner, and earlier tries from Ted Hill and Beno Obano gave the Somerset side a historic victory and sent them into their first Premiership final in nine years.

Sale were at their pragmatic best, making the most of their power in the rolling mauls, as Ben Curry and Tommy Taylor crashed over the whitewash, and the Premiership’s third-best side this term found themselves ahead on 53 minutes, as Tom O’Flaherty showed an exceptional turn of pace to hunt down a dink over the top to touch down.

Johan van Graan’s Bath side, who have not won a trophy for 16 years, will play Northampton Saints at the home of English rugby in a week’s time.

In a quite exceptional, high-octane encounter, home advantage seemed to be hugely significant for Bath, who were roared on by their adoring West Country faithful.

They were propelled by their talismanic stand-off, Finn Russell, who was near-faultless off the tee and was instrumental in every phase of possession that his side had.

The match started superbly for the hosts, with Russell converting a penalty inside five minutes to get the scoring started early, before Ted Hill rampaged over seven minutes later, with the Scottish fly-half Russell again playing a key role with a burst that had followed his team-mate’s riding of three challenges.

A lofted kick was cottoned onto quickly by Hill, with the bounce favouring him as he touched down as chaos commenced around The Recreation.

Ben Curry slid over on 18 minutes as Sale replied, but Obano powered over with Bath peppering the visiting tryline on 24 minutes to regain control on the affair.

Alex Sanderson’s Sharks were buoyed by a swing in momentum approaching half-time as Tommy Taylor made excellent use of the rolling maul to sneak over from around the back with six minutes to play, and George Ford kept his composure to put the visitors within three at the interval – perhaps a smaller deficit than Bath’s brilliance had befitted.

However, the wind was in the Sharks’ sails as Ford levelled with a penalty and O’Flaherty burst through out of nowhere to eke their noses ahead against the odds, but it was that man once more, Russell, who kept his head with the pressure at its maximum to kick over two further penalties, sandwiching Annett’s winning try to send the city of Bath batty and London-bound.

With Bath and Northampton booking their places at Twickenham, both sides who have not reached the final in nine and 10 years respectively, there is a very clear changing of the guard in the Premiership.

Even after Saracens’ relegation, they bounced back with two consecutive trips to the final. But with losing out in the semi-final this year, and with the likes of Owen Farrell and the Vunipola brothers departing, there is a definite shift into a new era.

“We’ve seen a changing of the guard, I think. Saracens have moved on, and a lot of those players are moving on,” TNT Sports rugby pundit Lawrence Dallaglio said after the game.

“The birth and the growth of the likes of Northampton and Bath, some of the players. The coaching has been outstanding as well.”

Next week’s champions will be the fifth different winner in five years too, highlighting the changing landscape of the Premiership and exciting styles of rugby on display in the league.

What can this man not do?

He was pivotal in every good thing the hosts did, with the Scot superb in front of the posts.

You could tell that he was revelling in the big occasion with the confidence he demonstrated to attempt a drop-goal from an absurd distance. It didn’t quite come off, but it showed a man that is at the full peak of his powers.

Signing of the season? Too right.

Bath: Gallagher 7, Cokanasiga 7, Lawrence 7, Redpath 6, Muir 6, Russell 8, Spencer 6, Obano 7, Dunn 6, du Toit 6, Roux 6, Ewels 6, Hill 8, Barbeary 7, Underhill 7. Replacements: Annett 7, Stuart 6, Stooke 6, Bayliss 6, Reid 6.

Sale: Carpenter 7, Roebuck 6, James 6, du Preez 6, O’Flaherty 7, Ford 6, Warr 6, Rodd 6, Taylor 7, Harper 6, Wiese 6, Andrews 6, Curry 7, Dugdale 7, du Preez 6. Replacements: Creevy 6, McIntyre 6, John 6, Quirke 6, Curry 7.

12′: TRY! BATH 8-0 SALE (HILL) What a try! That is simply sublime from van Graan’s side. They work it beautifully through the hands down the right, with Russell waiting just until the perfect moment to release the swarm to his right. Ted Hill breaks three bodies, Russell then makes a hit of his own, before a gorgeous dink over the top lands ideally for the flanker, who dots down. Russell misses the extras.

18′: TRY! BATH 8-5 SALE (CURRY) The rolling maul from the lineout splits off and goes blind, and Curry, shielding the ball at the back, goes over the whitewash, and the visitors are on the board! Ford can’t get the conversion from wide left, and the Sharks are three adrift.

24′: TRY! BATH 13-5 SALE (OBANO) It results in a try for the home side! There’s too much power in the drive from Alfie Barbeary, who rides two challenges, and Ollie Lawrence gets the ball away quickly. Tom du Toit is there, fighting to force it over, and it finally is, with Obano dotting down.

34′: TRY! BATH 18-10 SALE (TAYLOR) Sale score, and it’s their hooker Tommy Taylor! The rolling maul takes full effect once more from the close-range line-out, and the no.2 hides around the back, before popping up at the front, diving over to get his side into double digits.

53′: TRY! BATH 21-23 SALE (O’FLAHERTY) Wow! What a turn of pace from Tom O’Flaherty, and Sale are ahead! Tommy Taylor gets a move going down the right touchline into Roebuck who offloads, with Joe Carpenter dinking one over the top before getting clattered. O’Flaherty puts on the afterburners to steam in and touch down! Ford misses the conversion.

75′: TRY! BATH 29-23 SALE (ANNETT) That should do it! Bath are heading to Twickenham, and it’s Niall Annett with what should be the game-winning try! The maul is joined by most of the backs, who desperately push as hard as their exhausted bodies will let them to get over the line. Annett is the one that takes the final plaudits!