Sale v Bath predictions and rugby union tips: Battling Bath to challenge Sharks

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 7.45pm Friday

Best bet

Bath +10.5
1pt 10-11 bet365

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Match preview 

Bath’s last Premiership game was an impressive win over Newcastle on New Year’s Eve and they return from their lengthy league layoff reinforced and ready for the challenge of a trip to Sale. 

The Sharks are going well in the league, sitting 20 points better off than Bath in second place, but return to domestic action following two bruising losses to Toulouse and Ulster which dumped them out of the Champions Cup. 

Sale coach Alex Sanderson has shuffled his pack in the wake of the Ulster defeat and while he still fields a strong team featuring top Premiership pointscorer Rob du Preez, it’s not as fearsome a side as it could have been. 

Sanderson’s opposite number Johann van Graan, who took over as head of rugby this summer, has made headway in rebuilding the Bath team after a difficult few years and they are more competitive than the double-digit handicap suggests.

The West Country outfit have won four of their last six Premiership matches, have the third-best defensive record in the division, and are getting healthier with forwards Josh McNally and Beno Obano back in the squad.

Bath have lost by a double-digit margin in the league only once this season and maintaining that record on a ground where Sale have enjoyed some big wins would be another box ticked on the road back to relevance.

In the URC, Ulster are favoured by 9.5 points to build on their win over Sale by beating reigning champions the Stormers while the Scarlets might have a hard time securing a fifth win on the bounce in all competitions when hosting the Bulls.

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