Both Gloucester Rugby and Sale Sharks delivered standout performances in Round 4 of the Prem Rugby Cup, with hard-fought victories over local rivals Bath and Exeter Chiefs respectively. Despite challenging weather conditions, both teams showcased resilience and skill to climb the Pool A standings.

Gloucester Edge Past Bath in Thrilling Derby

At Kingsholm, Gloucester claimed a narrow 19-17 victory over Bath Rugby, extending their unbeaten start in the pool and remaining top of Pool A. The hosts battled heavy rain and wind to produce a dominant first-half display.

Gloucester scored three tries before halftime:

• Josh Hathaway opened the scoring while the Cherry and Whites were down to 14 men after prop Nepo Laulala was sin-binned for a high tackle.
• Kealan Freeman-Price followed with a powerful hooker finish.
• Teenager Will Knight, just 18 years old, capped a strong first half with a third try.

Bath had initially taken the lead through a clever finish by full-back Austin Emens, set up by Sam Winters, and closed the gap in the second half when Tyler Offiah finished in the corner. Fly-half James Linegar missed a late penalty that could have snatched victory for Bath, allowing Gloucester to hold on for a vital derby win.

Sale Sharks Dominate Exeter in Stormy Conditions

Meanwhile, in Greater Manchester, Sale Sharks swept aside Exeter Chiefs 34-3 despite gale-force winds brought on by Storm Claudia. Sale number eight Sam Dugdale, who signed a new contract extending his stay until 2028, scored two crucial tries.

Other try scorers included:

• Hooker Ethan Caine, who secured a close-range finish to put the game beyond Exeter’s reach.
• Replacement hooker Tadgh McElroy, who dotted down Sale’s fourth try late in the contest.
• Former Chiefs winger Tom O’Flaherty, who finished off a precise grubber-kick from Tom Curtis to seal a convincing fifth try.

South African Rob du Preez contributed with four successful conversions, demonstrating accuracy in extremely difficult conditions. Sale’s bonus-point win allows them to leapfrog Bath into second place in Pool A with a strengthened position in the Prem Rugby Cup.

Implications for Pool A

• Gloucester move to 15 points at the top of Pool A.
• Sale Sharks climb to second with a bonus-point win.
• Bath Rugby drop to third but remain competitive.

With the pool stage heating up, both Gloucester and Sale will be looking to maintain momentum as the Prem Rugby Cup progresses, while battling adverse weather and fierce competition from fellow Premiership sides.

Key Players:

• Josh Hathaway (Gloucester): 1 try – opening score under pressure
• Kealan Freeman-Price (Gloucester): 1 try – strong hooker performance
• Will Knight (Gloucester): 1 try – teenage sensation
• Sam Dugdale (Sale): 2 tries – dominant performance
• Rob du Preez (Sale): 4 conversions – clinical kicking
• Tyler Offiah (Bath): 1 try – fought back in second half