Henry Arundell and Tom de Glanville scored a try apiece on their return from injury to help Bath Rugby to a vital victory over Sale Sharks on Saturday 31st October.

The Blue, Black & White got back to winning ways after three successive defeats across all competitions, beating Alex Sanderson’s side 36-28 at The Rec in Gallagher PREM Round 5.

This was a largely dominant and exciting display all around the pitch by Bath, who completed the opening block of league games with three wins and two losses and are fifth in the table – one of four sides with 16 points to their name.

Although Sale snatched a bonus point courtesy of two late tries, the scoreline flattered them. The Eccles-based club ended the block in eighth spot.

Bath had 54% of the possession and the same amount of territory. On an afternoon when their backs clearly enjoyed themselves, the Blue, Black & White gained 466 metres in attack and forced the Sharks to make 165 tackles.

Although Sale secured more entries to the opposing 22 – 13 against Bath’s 12 – the hosts were impressive at the breakdown, where they won 88 rucks to the Sharks’ 66.

Arundell and de Glanville both featured in the hosts’ starting XV. And it took winger Arundell only two-and-a-half minutes to open the scoring.

Having received the ball just inside the Bath half, he made a trademark burst of speed that saw him surge through the centre of the field and out to the right, and he touched down in the corner for a try converted by Finn Russell.

However, Sale – who went into the match one place below Bath in the standings – responded in the 14th minute, Nathan Jibulu going over in the left corner from a rolling maul. George Ford added the extras via the right post.

Russell missed a 34-metre penalty from in front of the posts in the 18th minute.

But the Blue, Black & White regained the lead four minutes later. Ben Spencer passed for full-back de Glanville to run in from eight metres on the left, Russell booting the two points.

And on the half-hour, Max Ojomoh released de Glanville just inside Sale territory and he made 35 metres before passing to Joe Cokanasiga to go over in the right corner. Russell’s conversion attempt flew wide of the right post and Bath led 19-7.

Johann van Graan’s team secured the four-try bonus point in the 43rd minute. Cokanasiga latched onto a crossfield kick from Russell and gave Alex Lozowski the slip, only to be brought down by Joe Carpenter. However, Cokanasiga stretched for a score in the right corner. Russell converted.

But the Sharks hit back with a 45th-minute try, Tom O’Flaherty diving over in the left corner after taking a pass from Ford 12 metres out. Ford landed the extras.

A Russell 12-metre penalty from in front of the posts in the 58th minute gave Bath breathing space at 29-14 up.

And the Blue, Black & White bagged their fifth try of the afternoon when, in the 65th minute, Louie Hennessey ­– who arrived from the bench only seconds earlier – crossed in the right corner after collecting a grubber kick from Bernard van der Linde. Russell majored with a superb strike from the touchline.

However, Sale refused to lie down – and two tries in the closing stages ensured they headed back to the North West with a bonus point.

First, Luke Cowan-Dickie crashed over, from a rolling maul, in the right corner in the 72nd minute, Ford converting to make the score 36-21.

Then, in the final minute, Elia Canakaivata scored from short range just to the left of the posts, Ford successful from the tee.

Bath’s young prop Claudius Wheeler made his professional debut when he came on as a replacement in the 73rd minute.

De Glanville was named the Gallagher Player of the Match. And Miles Reid, playing at openside flanker for the Blue, Black & White, was the winner of the Champagne Pol Roger Performance of the Match award.

Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Dan Frost, 3 Archie Griffin, 4 Will Jeanes, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Miles Reid, 8 Josh Bayliss, 9 Ben Spencer, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville.

Bath replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Claudius Wheeler, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, 20 Ewan Richards, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Louie Hennessey, 23 Jaco Coetzee.

Sale starting XV: 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 5 Ben Bamber, 6 Christ Tshiunza, 7 Ben Curry, 8 Tom Curry, 9 Gus Warr, 10 George Ford, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 12 Alex Lozowski, 13 Joe Marchant, 14 Tom Roebuck, 15 Joe Carpenter.

Sale replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Tom Burrow, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 23 Elia Canakaivata.

The PREM Rugby Cup now takes centre stage for several weeks, Bath resuming their campaign by visiting Exeter Chiefs in Round 3 on Saturday 7th November (3pm).

Tickets are available here.

The Blue, Black & White had a bye in Round 2 but lost 50-28 at Sale on Sunday 6th September in the opening stage.