Points win prizes. Bristol played admirably at times, offloading with enthusiasm while mostly solid at the set piece, but Sale were far more clinical when it counted. The fact Sharks could rely on the intelligence and class of the England fly-half, George Ford – dropping goals like he was back in Marseille – did not do them any harm.
“He looked silky in attack, didn’t he? Really silky,” said Alex Sanderson, Sale’s director of rugby, of Ford’s display. “That’s part of the game we’ve been looking to grow, and part of the game he wants to prove he’s one of the best at. Not just being able to slot drop-goals from 50 metres. He can do it all, can’t he?”
