By Peter Ryan
Bath will take on Sale this ale as they will look to cement themselves at the top of the table before the autumn break.
It seems to be an exciting contest as Bath will look to capitalise on a weakened Sale Sharks team, as many of the star players are on England duty.
These teams have a history of intense matches, often with high-scoring games. A win would go a long way in determining who will top the league come the year’s end.
It is always a great show when these two sides clash, and the weekends will be no different. For those who like a bet, there are some exciting options.
Bath
Bath made it to the final last year and has only gotten more robust in the 2024/25 campaign. They look to be a formidable force not just in England but also in Europe.
Last year, Bath had a strong squad anyway, but additions like Guy Pepper have elevated the side. Last week, Bath got a great win over Harlequins, which went right down to the wire.
When thinking about star players in rugby, one of the first things that comes to mind is Finn Russell. The Scotsman is a magician; his vision is second to none whenever he touches the ball.
Russell is genuinely the spark to this prolific Bath attack, and it is safe to say that he would look a lot different without him. Fortunately for Bath, the team hasn’t been hit by players going on international duty as much as others.
Ben Spencer is a notable absence from the team, and they will miss his game management and box-kicking in the contest.
Thomas du Toit will make a start as he brings his World Cup-winning experience to the fold. Bath will look to take advantage of a depleted Sharks team and secure a decent win.
Sale Sharks
Sale will be heading into the game hoping for a significant result to get back into play-off contention.
They currently sit sixth at the table and are hoping for a solid end to the opening stage of the competition.
The Sharks have played some good stuff that injuries have hampered. George Ford has been injured since the Saracens game, and his absence has affected the team’s performance. Rob du Preez has stepped into the role of 10 and is an excellent flyhalf in his own right.
Many sales players have been called up for England duty, with Tom Curry and Luke Cowan-Dickie not participating in the contest. Their absence will undoubtedly affect the team’s strategy and performance.
One of the Shark’s significant strengths has been their robust defence; it will certainly be tested against a potent Bath attack. It’ll be interesting to see how Sale copes without their international stars.
The Bets
Looking at the betting options for this match, the best bet seems to be for Bath to score more than 32.5 points.
We have seen many high-scoring games in the league this year, and with Bath’s squad almost being at full strength, They have the potential to score those points.
The value bet is for Bath to win by more than 18 points; if at their best, they could be a very comfortable game for the home side.
However, Sale has enough quality on their team to keep it competitive, so you would get an excellent return if you put money on Bath to have a winning margin between eight and 14 points.
Best Bet: Bath to score more than 32.5 points- 4/5
Value Bet: Bath to win by more than 18 points- 15/8
Longshot Bet: Bath to have a winning margin between eight and 14 points- 16/5
