Gallagher Premiership results – Friday: Bristol 20-36 Sale, Gloucester 24-33 Bath
Last Updated: 14/04/23 10:33pm
Sale’s George Ford
A round-up of Friday’s Gallagher Premiership action as Sale beat Bristol to reach the play-offs while Bath come from 17 points down to beat Gloucester.
Bristol 20-36 Sale
Sale Sharks secured a place in the Premiership play-offs after beating Bristol 36-20 at Ashton Gate on Friday night.
Sale now need one more win – they visit Gloucester next weekend before hosting Newcastle on May 6 – to book a home tie in the knockout phase.
Bristol, who saw prop Ellis Genge yellow-carded following a high tackle on Sale flanker and his England team-mate Tom Curry, are now effectively out of the play-off race.
George Ford was the architect of Sale’s impressive win, kicking four penalties, a drop-goal and three conversions for a 21-point haul.
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Skipper Ben Curry, lock Jean-Luc du Preez and scrum-half Gus Warr scored tries for Sale, while Bristol replied with touchdowns from wings Siva Naulago and Gabriel Ibitoye, a penalty and two conversions by former Sharks fly-half AJ MacGinty, plus a James Williams penalty.
But the home side were never seriously in the hunt once Sale moved 13 points clear just after half-time, and a semi-final at the AJ Bell Stadium next month is now within touching distance.
Scrum-half Harry Randall made his 100th Bristol appearance, while Joe Jenkins replaced injured centre Semi Radradra and there were recalls for lock Joe Batley and number eight Magnus Bradbury.
England flanker Tom Curry recovered from a hamstring injury to take his place in the Sale back-row alongside brother Ben and …