Third played host to fourth today as rugby's focus switched from European to domestic matters. The Christmas spirit was palpable as we were treated to choirs and songs, although much of the class on display today came from Sale.

Bath started well, but when Butch James missed a kick a few moments into the first half the tone was set for a frustrating game. Sebastian Chabal, in his last season with the Sharks, soon crashed through the Bath defence and over the gain line. Chabal played the role of the pantomime villain today, and was roundly booed after a scuffle caused by Matt Stevens being a bit chatty during a Bath scrum near their line.

After Bath lost a lineout, their defence fell apart and Luke McAllister sped through after a break by Dwayne Peel. Charlie Hodgson, who from then on relinquished kicking duties to McAllister, missed the conversion. 

In Bath's next attack Sale were given offside by referee David Rose, and the subsequent line-out saw Bath camped on the Sale try-line. The pantomime villain appeared again as a melee involving Chabal - amongst others - took place. The Frenchman was yellow carded and stalked off in a suitably Gallic manner. The Bath pack collapsed on the ball after it was caught in the line-out and showed great power and strength to surge over the try-line and under the posts to create a seven point score. Daniel Browne - improving all the time - was the scorer.

After a near disaster, when Michael Claassens was charged down as he tried to quickly exit his own 22, there was some impressive runs from Jonny Fantastic and Lee Mears. Stuart Turner was sin-binned for killing the ball, and James kicked the three points. At this point the match began to get extremely messy, with a lot of needless kicking back and forth. Michael Lipman was carded for a late tackle. Sale's pressure soon told as Mark Cueto wriggled over the line to score the Manchester teams' second try.Their lead was quickly lost as James kicked another penalty as the Sharks were pinged for offside.

In the second half, Sale immediately gained three points and kept attacking whilst the West Country side kept losing the ball. It was all too loose and Bath's body language was fairly negative. The ball was exchanged between the two full-backs, as were penalties; James kicked three points after Chabal pulled down Justin Harrison in a line out, but both kickers missed penalties within moments of each other. Sale continued their attack, and although conceding a turnover that seemed to rescue Bath, the Sharks did not give up, and after a missed tackle from Nick Abendandon - so wiping out his try saving tackle in the first half - Cueto flew across the 22 to score his second try. The conversion was missed.

With ten minutes left, James missed another penalty. Just a minute later, there was a collective groan from the Rec crowd as Lipman and James pointed to the posts after a penalty was awarded to Bath. Thankfully, he kicked it beautifully. With time running out, and attacks from Bath amounting to nothing, I could hardly watch as, with one minute on the clock and ten metres from the try line, Alex Crockett sent a shaky and wobbly chip through to Banahan, who was lurking on the wing.

Ten thousand hearts were in ten thousand mouths as Banahan batted off the Sale defence to crash down and score the winning try. The Rec erupted, the Bath players leapt around in delighted disbelief, and the Sale players collapsed on the ground, their Christmas cheer a very long way away. It was spookily similar to the finale of the Leicester game, and my heart rate has only just slowed down again. James hooked the conversion wide, but the game was over.

Bath were lucky to win, having looked nervous and conceded far too many turnovers. Sale were impressive and deserved more than the losing bonus point that they took home. Still, if Bath manage to win when not playing especially well, then there is quality at the heart of the team and I'm happy. Mind you, the quality was buried pretty deep today...

Referee: David Rose

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon