Sale beat Bristol to secure Premiership play-off place

LONDON: Sale secured a place in the Premiership play-offs after beating Bristol 36-20 at Ashton Gate on Friday.

Second-placed Sale are in the driving seat to book a home tie in the play-off semi-finals, with two games remaining of the regular season but Bristol 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.

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. In the other match in the English Premiership on Friday, Bath won 33-24 at Gloucester.