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Virtually all aspects are running smoothly for the Bath team at this stage. Finally, their eagerly awaited stadium upgrade appears set to proceed, and on the field, the champions have secured two victories in two matches after the opening pair of fixtures. With Finn Russell scheduled to return in action next week to take back the fly-half baton, it is going to take a exceptionally strong side to steal their crown.

On a rainy and blustery night in the West Country, even so, they were forced to labor intensely by a stubborn Sale Sharks team who dug in deep and persisted until the end. It was only with three minutes left that Max Ojomoh dove over to score his side’s fourth try to uphold his squad’s flawless opening to the competition.

This was Sale’s fourth successive loss on their opponents’ ground and the manner of it was largely familiar to previous performances. The home side specializes in squeezing teams in the final quarter of games, and here was another example of it. The Bath side might have made life easier for themselves had they opted to kick an earlier penalty to extend their lead to eight points, but in the end, the young center had the final word.

The watching England head coach the national team boss had an abundance of other players to assess, with Ollie Lawrence and the rapid winger also looking keen to impress him. the Sharks’ hooker scored a second-half try and is evidently a young player on the rise, while the generalship and pinpoint boots of the composed George Ford shone in testing conditions.

The fly-half was a standout for the Sharks despite the setback.

It was yet another rain-soaked evening when a cover on the open interim structure would have kept fans dry. Their tickets can still command a premium fee, but a relief is imminent. After decades of arguing, the green light has been awarded for an 18,000-spectator stadium, with Unesco and the secretary of state having approved the plan.

That now depends on Bath expecting final authorization, which the club hope will be secured within a few months. And as and when Bath do eventually possess their own riverside palace to complement their extraordinarily player resources, life is going to become even tougher for away sides.

Not to suggest Sale were in any disposition to be overawed in a combative if slightly staccato first half. Bath were unlucky to lose their international forward the experienced player to a knock inside eight minutes, and the Sale’s pack also made some positive starts. It was Bath, though, who showed resilience and registered the game’s initial points, just when Sale were pushing forward they were unzipped down the left side by the center before the rapid the winger darted past Tom O’Flaherty to score his first home Prem try for his childhood club.

It was to be the narrative of the half: encouraging visiting flashes only for Bath to hit back with devastating effectiveness. The game was still under half an hour in when they found the line once more, the flanker breaking through off the back of a home lineout and setting up the inside center on his inside to score emphatically.

Luckily Sale still had the outstanding George Ford to remain competitive. The England fly-half had already kicked a expertly taken penalty and a smart drop-goal when a Bath clearance bounced straight to him on the midfield. Having taken a moment to steady himself, the No 10 nailed another precise drop-goal to narrow the gap before the prop forward, from close range, claimed Bath’s third touchdown with Sale’s captain the skipper temporarily suspended.

Mounting a comeback from a substantial margin away from home would be a challenging endeavor in any venue, let alone against a Bath team with a man advantage and a strong substitutes. It was a credit to Sale’s resolve, then, when they created the try from near the line just seven minutes after the second-half kickoff to dispel any hosts’ assurance.

Typically that is the indication for Bath to raise their level, but this time the Sharks were ready. They made their own multiple replacements and, at a five-point game, it required a stunning tackle from Sam Underhill to contain the powerful carries of the center. A heavy tackle by Tom Burrow also led to Ted Hill to exit early, but where it mattered most, up on the scoreboard, Bath always find a way these days.