Matchday Live

Dan du Preez demonstrated his frightening power to set up Sharks’ first try, smashing through Gloucester’s defensive line before offloading neatly to de Klerk to score.

Gloucester responded in kind however, capitalising from Sharks ill-discipline to kick to the corner and convert clinically from the lineout maul through Socino.

Sharks had the better of the ball in the loose however, and minutes later scored again as AJ MacGinty found himself in the narrow channels to power across and score, but picking up an injury in the process. Step up Faf de Klerk who cooly converted.

Another lineout score from Socino levelled the scores once again, but it was Sharks who entered the break with the lead as the towering JP du Preez aimed low to score from the pick-and-go.

Sharks’ bonus point try came shortly into the second-half, Jean Luc du Preez manoeuvring through three Gloucester defenders before stretching across the line with ball tucked in bicep. De Klerk, again, converted.

As Sharks looked set to score once more, a stray pass from de Klerk hunting Reed on the wing was intercepted by Gloucester scrum-half replacement Chapman, who ran the length of the pitch to score for the visitors.

With momentum shifted and 20 minutes to play, Gloucester came alive. Their fourth try came from Hillman-Cooper, collecting the ball at first receiver to dunk the ball across the line for a debut score. Barton’s conversion put Gloucester within two points, but, despite several unconverted visits to Gloucester’s 5m line, Sharks had done enough to hold out for victory.

Another bonus point victory in the Premiership secured, Sharks next game is at home to Wasps in the Premiership Rugby Cup.

Sale: James, Roebuck, R du Preez, Van Rensburg, Reed, MacGinty, de Klerk; Rodd, Ashman, Oosthuizen, JL du Preez, JP du Preez, Ross, Curry, D du Preez.

Replacements: Langdon, McIntyre, Jones, Postlethwaite, Taylor, Warr, Doherty, Metcalf.

Gloucester: Moyle, Carreras, Seabrook, Twelvetrees, Thorley, Barton, Meehan, Elrington, Socino, Balmain, Clarke, Alemanno, Reid, Ludlow, Ackermann.

Replacements: Walker, Ford-Robinson, O’Connor, Davidson, Clement, Chapman, Hillman-Cooper, Morgan.