Gallagher Premiership: Sale beat Leicester to climb into top four, Bath close in on play-offs with Newcastle win

Sale Sharks moved into the top four with a crucial 31-22 bonus-point win at home to Leicester Tigers as they chase a place in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs. Sam James bowed out in style on his final game for his boyhood club with a fine try, while Gus Warr, Tommy Taylor and Tom O’Flaherty also crossed for the hosts. Bath also closed in on a top-four finish by earning a BP win in Newcastle.

Sale Sharks heaped pressure on Bristol Bears, Saracens and Harlequins with a deserved bonus-point 31-22 victory over Leicester Tigers as Alex Sanderson’s side continued their attacking rebirth to move into the Gallagher Premiership play-off places.

In almost certainly Sale’s last home game of the season, club stalwart Sam James had the fairytale ending before departing in the summer as he scored an immensely popular try and also set up Tom O’Flaherty’s bonus-point score with a sumptuous kick.

Early tries from Gus Warr and Tommy Taylor helped condemn Leicester to a pointless defeat as they chase Investec Champions Cup qualification for next season.

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Dan Cole, Matt Scott and George Martin crossed for Dan McKellar’s side but they were distinctly second-best as familiar face Manu Tuilagi also ran riot on his final home game for Sale too.

A good night was made even better for Sale fans when director of rugby Sanderson announced in a TNT Sports interview after the game that he had signed a three-year contract extension.

Tigers will be relying on Hollywoodbets Sharks beating Gloucester in the EPCR Challenge Cup final to secure the final English Champions Cup spot for next season.

Bath also continued their charge for the play-offs against Newcastle Falcons, securing the bonus point in a rampant first half before holding off a late home comeback to move up to second place in the table with a 28-17 victory.

‘Leicester split open’ – Warr weaves over line for Sale after carry from ‘midfield hammer’ Tuilagi

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Leicester got off to the stronger start when veteran prop Dan Cole charged over the try line inside five minutes, but the lead lasted only five minutes before a huge carry from Tuilagi put the Tigers defence on the back foot before Warr weaved his way over the line from close range.

To make matters worse, Ollie Hassell-Collins was sent to the sin bin for a high shot when bringing down the barnstorming Tuilagi, and Sale cashed in on their numerical advantage when Tommy Taylor finished off another neat lineout move, a second successful conversion putting Sale 14-5 up.

An action-packed opening quarter continued to deliver the goods when Scott’s interception try narrowed the gap to two points.

The most celebrated score of the night arrived just before the break when James, in his final home game for his boyhood club, finished a fine team move to extend the hosts’ lead once more.

And the full-back was again instrumental for the crucial bonus-point score early in the second half, sending a clever grubber kick through for O’Flaherty to gather and dive over in the corner.

‘That’s what it means!’ - O’Flaherty profits from ‘worldie of a kick’ to seal bonus point for Sale

Leicester’s resistance waned from then on, Ford adding a penalty to further extend the lead, and a consolation score from Martin in the closing minutes did little to spring any serious hopes of a comeback.

Bath go joint-top with Newcastle win

Highlights: Bath close in on Premiership playoffs with win in Newcastle

Bath continued their charge for the play-offs against Newcastle, securing the bonus point in a rampant first half before holding off a late home comeback to move up to second place in the table with a 28-17 victory.

With creative hub Finn Russell back in the side following an injury, the visitors got off to a strong start, Thomas du Toit reacting quickest to a loose ball to dot down the opening try after five minutes.

Scores from Ben Spencer and Joe Cokanasiga before the half-hour mark had Bath in cruise control, but a frantic first half still had plenty to offer as Jamie Blamire crossed twice for Newcastle either side of Matt Gallagher’s bonus point-securing try for Bath to send the sides in at 28-10 at the break.

The second half was far less eventful with just one score to show for it, Sam Stuart narrowing the gap with a third Falcons try, but it was not enough to spark an unlikely fightback.

'I'll always be a fan' - Player of the Match James reacts to Sharks win over Tigers, summer exit

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