Premiership: Sale Sharks 42-19 Bristol Bears - Cobus Wiese scores twice in bonus-point victory

Cobus Wiese scored two tries for Sale

Sale ended their Premiership season with a convincing victory against Bristol Bears at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Tries from Tom Roebuck, Akker van der Merwe and a Cobus Wiese double secured the try-scoring bonus point for the home side in the first half.

Bristol's Toby Fricker crossed before Dan Du Preez restored the four-try gap.

Aaron Reed scored again for Sale before Nathan Hughes provided two late consolation tries on his final Bristol appearance.

Both sides went into the game with nothing to play for other than points and pride, with a top-four spot out of reach for Sale and European Challenge Cup rugby beckoning for Bristol.

Faf de Klerk captained Sale in his 100th and final appearance for the club and the hosts never looked back after getting off to a flier.

Roebuck gave Sharks the lead inside seven minutes after Sam Jones had already had a try disallowed.

Van der Merwe then powered through a number of Bristol challenges to double the Bears' advantage.

Wiese's two tries came either side of a disallowed breakout try for Fricker.

Fricker did get his try to give Bristol's fans something to cheer but further scores from Du Preez and Hughes gave Sale a deserved, dominant victory.

De Klerk, Hammersley - who is set to retire - Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Lood de Jager all played their final games for the Sharks as they finished sixth in the table, with Bristol 10th.

Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson:

"Looking back, it's been a successful season. There's a bit of sadness when you don't get what you want, but it's only when you look back do you realise the friendships you've got and how you've grown."

On Faf De Klerk and other departing players: "As he goes on and moves on, I wish him all the best for him and his soon-to-be wife.

"There's going to be a little bit of him that's forever going to be a part of the Sale DNA, so we thank for him for that.

"The South Africans that are going have been an integral part of putting Sale on the map, it's now up to us and these young lads - and this group of northern talent - all of whom were on display today. These lads need to take it on."

Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol:

"The first half today was reflective of our season. Fair play to the boys, we won the second half but we gave away some very soft tries.

"Sometimes our skill didn't match our ambition. At the end there were a couple of options there that we didn't take.

"We're excited about coming back. When you've had a season like this all you want to do is come back in and improve the things you know you can get better at."

Sale: Hammersley, Roebuck, S. James, van Rensburg, Reed, R. du Preez, de Klerk (capt), Rodd, van der Merwe, Schonert, Wiese, de Jager, JL du Preez, T. Curry, D. du Preez.

Replacements: Ashman, Harrison, Oosthuizen, Postlethwaite, S. Curry, Warr, Doherty, Wilkinson.

Bristol: Piutau, Morahan, Bates, Leiua, Fricker, Sheedy, Randall, Woolmore, Kerr, Afoa, Hawkins, Vui, Luatua (capt), Thomas, Jeffries.

Replacements: Byrne, Benz-Salomon, Kloska, Holmes, Hughes, Uren, Lloyd, Purdy.

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