Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

It came after that bit of chaotic play.

Ford drove it into the corner and it gave Sale the opportunity to go for the driving maul which they got right.

They can do the grand total of nothing with field positioning.

Still Ben Curry manages to snatch the ball back after Sale were turned over.

The breakdown really isn't working for the Sharks right now.

Sale with their first lineout of the game now.

It allows them their first real sniff of the try line now. What can they do with this field positioning?

There wasn’t much separating these two at the end of the season, and they each notched up a league win against one another.

When Bath beat Sale 42-24 at the Rec in Round 13 it actually ended a six-game winless run against the Sharks in Premiership Rugby.

There is no indication we will have the same avalanche of points in this one, but both sides do boast plenty of artillery in attack.

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 live

In the middle of all that box kick tennis, Joe Carpenter took a good ball and that signalled Sale to get into attack mode.

It shows that given the right circumstances both teams are happy to play and Sale looked comfortable attacking there.

Joe Carpenter has had an industrious few minutes, with the full-back linking up well as Sale try to power forward.

Bath's defence is holding firm and George Ford tries to put pressure on with a kick to the corner.

The hosts have every reason to applaud their side's defensive efforts right now.

Scotland international Finn Russell makes no mistake, and lands his kick from just to the right of the posts.

Bath lead.

Bath's Joe Cokanasiga is taken out as he harries after a high up and under from Finn Russell.

His run is cut off and Sale give away the penalty.

Russell now has the chance to put the hosts ahead with an easy kick...

Today we have two sides that have finished the league campaign strongly.

Bath have won four of their past six Premiership matches. And that includes beating table-toppers and now grand finalists Northampton last time out.

The Sharks have won their last five Premiership matches and have not won six in a row in the competition since 2022.

Sale have got on the front foot early, but are over eager as they plough forward and are pinged. Bath release some pressure with the penalty.

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 live

George Ford and Finn Russell are two of the very best.

They are both very similar, they guide their teams, they get on the front foot.

They are magicians.

I think Russell maybe just edges it on how freakishly creative he can be but whoever gets the better ball will make the most of it.

Image source, PA Media

And we are up and running at The Rec.

There appears to also have been a late change for Sale, as Hyron Andrews has been forced out with Ernst van Rhyn coming on.

Both sets of players have emerged from the players' tunnel, and they are greeted by huge roars at The Rec.

There is a great buzz of anticipation ahead of this showdown.

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Image source, Rex Features

There is just the one change to the Bath side that got the better of Northampton in their final regular season game of the season.

Alfie Barbeary starts at number eight, with Josh Bayliss dropping to the bench.

Bath: Gallagher, Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, Muir, Russell, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, du Toit, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary.

Replacements: Annett, Schoeman, Stuart, Stooke, Bayliss, Schreuder, Bailey, Reid.

The big news for Sale Sharks today is that England flanker Tom Curry is named on the bench and poised to make his first club appearance of the season. He hasn’t played a match since featuring for the national team at the World Cup in October.

A setback for Sale is that powerhouse England international Manu Tuilagi is out.

Sale Sharks: Carpenter, Roebuck, James, R du Preez, O’Flaherty, Ford, Warr; Rodd, Taylor, Harper, Wiese, Andrews, B Curry (capt), Dugdale, JL du Preez.

Replacements: Creevy, McIntyre, John, Bamber, van Rhyn, Quirke, L James, T Curry.

Bath finished second in the Premiership standings and equal on points with table-toppers Northampton.

The superb season under head of rugby Johann van Graan has delivered them to their first semi-final for four years. And the last time they hosted a match in the last four was in the 2014-15 season.

Sale finished just one place and four points behind Bath in the standings, and will be looking to reach the final for the second successive season.

Image source, PA Media

Before we get stuck into the game ahead, let’s quickly recap last night's action.

Northampton finished top of the Premiership pile at the end of the regular season, and they sealed their place at the big dance with a narrow win against Saracens.

Fin Smith kicked five penalties in a low-scoring match while Owen Farrell played through injury in his final appearance for Sarries.

You can read the full match report here.

Image source, Getty Images

Good afternoon and welcome to the afternoon’s Premiership semi-final action.

One spot in the Twickenham final has already been snapped up, with Northampton Saints the first to march to the national stadium.

Today, Bath and Sale Sharks tangle for the honour of joining them in the showdown.