Alex Sanderson states “pressure is a privilege” as his Sale Sharks side extend their lead at the top

Sale Sharks came from behind to beat Bath 11-9 in a top of the table clash at the Salford Community Stadium to extend their lead at the top of the Gallagher Premiership table to five points.

Bath led until the 73^rd minute when a George Ford penalty condemned the visitors to their third loss of the campaign and sealed Sale’s fourth straight win in a row.

Sale’s Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson is embracing the challenge that comes with being top of the tree after seven games.

He said: “Pressure’s a privilege.

“We did talk about it in the week, but I think if you don’t mention it, the elephant in the room, it festers and escalates and becomes something bigger than it is.

“I feel like we’ve had our guts out and we’ve earned the right to be there, so let’s enjoy it whilst we’re there.

“The key is not to be looking over your shoulder at who’s coming, but to keep focus forward and keep improving your own game and in that way, you perhaps don’t feel it.”

Sale had to grind out the win over nearest challengers Bath, only scoring one try through Jonny Hill in the first-half.

This was the third game this season that Sale have won it late on by less than seven points and it’s this resilience and finding a way to win which pleased Sanderson the most.

“I never cease to be amazed at how they keep finding ways to win,” he said.

“It’s the third game this season that in the last five or ten minutes we’ve had to dig in and find a way, whether it be defensively or like tonight where it was through the spiral bomb and the scrum.

“That’s encouraging as well because that hasn’t been where we want it to be at by way of dominance until the last few weeks.

“You can see the impact that Luke (Cowan-Dickie) and Agustin Creevy are having there.

“I have so much confidence putting that front row on off the bench and watching them raise the intensity when it comes to set piece.

“Let’s hold on to the fact that we’re able to dig in for each other and scrap out a win.

“I mean it’s terrible for my nerves and generally these kind of games, where you win by a point or lose by a point, even themselves out over the year.

“I remember Saracens last year though, they won the most games in the last five to ten minutes than any other team.

“If you’re going to measure yourself up to teams that have grown into championship winning sides and that’s one of the traits, it’s good to have it in our locker.”

Bath led at the break 9-5, and despite banging on the door on multiple occasions after the interval, Sale struggled to breakdown the visitors’ resolve and the fact Sale dealt with these set backs and decisions against them pleased Sanderson.

He said: “It was an extremely frustrating game by way of the turnovers that occurred, some which probably weren’t legal, but you get that.

“And then the stop start nature of the game, which was decent gamesmanship from Bath.

“To not get frustrated by all those things and just keep going at them and going at them, that’s what I’m most impressed by.”

One player which was missing in Sale’s sixth win of the season was England International Tom Curry, who this week was ruled out for the season with a hip injury, and Sanderson was proud of how his brother Ben played after the bad news.

“He played for his brother, not for him,” he said.

“Ben’s was very upset, very emotional yesterday in the captain’s room. I said, what are you going to do?

“He said, I’m going to use it.

“I’m going to play for him and I think he did tonight, he was magnificent as our captain.”

Another stand out player in Sale’s 11-9 victory was new signing Luke Cowan-Dickie.

After two substitute appearances in the last two matches, the hooker finally got his first start since his move from Exeter Chiefs and Sanderson was impressed with the attitude he displayed.

“He didn’t want to come off,” he said.

“He was a grumpy when he came off.

“I’m like, what you grumpy at?

“You’ve done a really good job.

“There’s a 100 cap international coming on for him, you know what I mean?

“So it just shows he’s back and there’s still more for him as well, I’m sure.”

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