• Premiership: Sale 41-27 Bristol
• Sharks leapfrog Bristol into third, close on top-four finish

This match was billed as a shootout for a playoff place, which was only a slight exaggeration, and Sale won emphatically to leapfrog Bristol and take a huge stride towards confirming a top-four finish.

Alex Sanderson’s men are formidable on home soil and a bonus-point success, orchestrated by another masterly display from George Ford, gave them a 26th win from 29 Premiership games in Salford dating back to the start of the 2022-23 campaign. It was no less than Sale deserved, such was the energy and effervescence of their display in running in five tries past one of their closest rivals, who claimed a potentially priceless losing bonus point late on.