Premiership leaders Sale are chasing an 11th consecutive home victory but their powerful opponents will prove no pushovers
The duel between George Ford and Finn Russell at fly-half is far from the only show in town as Sale and Bath prepare for a significant Friday night in Salford. The meeting of the top two sides in this year’s league will be a test of brawn as much as brain with both teams intent on making their mark physically on the chilliest evening of the season so far.
With the temperature forecast to be only a degree or two above freezing, the pre-game stats reflect the story of two sides for whom domination is the name of the game. No other sides in the country have made more dominant defensive hits in the early rounds and Bath, just two points behind Sale in the table, also lead the way for the most dominant carries.