Bok's heroics not enough to save Sharks

Yesterday at 01:21 PM

WRAP: Finn Russell starred as English Premiership leaders Bath shattered Sale's unbeaten home record with a 32-23 win at Salford Stadium on Sunday.

Scotland flyhalf Russell created two tries for Ruaridh McConnochie in the first half and also provided the assist for Tom Carr-Smith's clincher six minutes from full-time.

Russell added 12 points with the boot in a dominant performance to delight Scotland coach Gregor Townsend ahead of the start of the Six Nations next weekend.

Sale's Springbok flyhalf Robert du Preez scored a trym kicked a conversion and two penalties (13 points), but it was not enough to save the Sharks/

Townsend will have been less pleased to see flank Josh Bayliss limp off late in the first half.

Wales prop WillGriff John will definitely miss the opening round of the Six Nations after the Sale tighthead went off during the first half with a concussion.

* Kalaveti Ravouvou and Noah Heward scored two tries apiece as second-placed Bristol crushed Newcastle 55-35 to stayed in touch with Bath.

Ravouvou, Gabriel Oghre and Heward all touched down in the first 18 minutes at Ashton Gate.

Newcastle closed to within three points of the hosts until a late Bristol scoring burst.

Ravouvou and Heward added their second tries and there were also scores for Kieran Marmion, Viliame Mata and Deago Bailey.

Harry Byrne booted four conversions and a penalty, while Benhard Janse van Rensburg added two conversions.

All Sunday's scorers and scorers are below ...

Sale Sharks 23-32 Bath

The scorers

For Sale Sharks
Tries: Reed, R du Preez, Carpenter
Con: R du Preez
Pens: R du Preez 2

For Bath
Tries: McConnochie 2, Ojomoh, Carr-Smith
Cons: Russell 3
Pens: Russell 2

Teams

Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom O'Flaherty, 13 Will Addison, 12 Rekeiti Ma'asi-White, 11 Arron Reed, 10 Rob du Preez (captain), 9 Gus Warr, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Sam Dugdale, 6 Jean-Luc du Preez, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Ethan Caine, 1 Si McIntyre.
Replacements: 16 Tadgh McElroy, 17 Tumy Onasanya, 18 Tye Raymont, 19 Jonny Hill, 20 Ben Bamber, 21 Nye Thomas, 22 Alex Wills, 23 Sam Bedlow.

Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Max Ojomoh, 12 Will Butt, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 7 Miles Reid, 6 Josh Bayliss, 5 Charlie Ewels (captain), 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Beno Obano.
Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Vilikesa Sela, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Ewan Richards, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Jaco Coetzee.

Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Jack Makepeace, Jamie Leahy
TMO: Peter Allan

Bristol Bears 55-35 Newcastle Falcons

The scorers

For Bristol Bears
Tries: Oghre, Heward 2, Ravouvou 2, Mata, Marmion, Bailey
Cons: Byrne 4, Janse van Rensburg 2
Pen: Byrne

For Newcastle Falcons
Tries: Chick, Blamire, Clark, Stevenson 2
Cons: Connon 5

Yellow card: Alex Hearle (Newcastle Falcons, 66)

Teams

Bristol Bears: 15 Rich Lane, 14 Noah Heward, 13 Joe Jenkins, 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 11 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Fitz Harding (captain), 6 Santiago Grondona, 5 Joe Owen, 4 James Dun, 3 Max Lahiff, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Yann Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 George Kloska, 19 Steven Luatua, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Sam Wolstenholme, 22 Benjamin Elizalde, 23 Deago Bailey

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Max Pepper, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Max Clark, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart, 8 Callum Chick (captain), 7 Freddie Lockwood, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Kiran McDonald, 4 Sebastian de Chaves, 3 Murray McCallum, 2 Jamie Blamire, 1 Adam Brocklebank.
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Kieran Wilkinson, 23 Oli Spencer.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Adam Leal, Greg Macdonald
TMO: David Rose