The Prem: Sale Sharks 38-17 Bristol Bears – Sharks seals Champions Cup spot

After finishing second, third and third in the previous three seasons, Sale have been miles off that standard this campaign.

In fact, they had lost 12 of their previous 14 in The Prem coming into this game, leaving their top-eight spot still not mathematically assured.

But it never looked in doubt from the moment this game began as Ford scored within 90 seconds as they established early dominance.

It was only a matter of time before they ran up the required number of tries as Bamber, Reed and Carpenter finished things off.

Bristol’s play-off hopes had ended after wins for Exeter Chiefs and Saracens last weekend, and they arrived north with a much-changed line-up.

Only six players started who had begun the derby win at home to Bath, but crucially only three of those were in the same positions, with hooker Harry Thacker pushed into service in the back-row.

The entire matchday squad was made up of English players, including nine from the academy, as the Bears made sure of hitting an average of 15 English qualified players per matchday squad across a period of the season laid out by the Professional Game Partnership, with clubs at risk of a fine or even a points deduction if that is not met.

Having been overwhelmed by Sale’s start, they scored two tries towards the end of the first half through Noah Heward and Tomas Gwilliam on his first Prem start as the game became loose.

But Rekeiti Ma’asi-White added a fifth try for the hosts at the start of the second period to reopen a sizeable gap.

Scotland winger Reed almost scored a sensational try from inside his own half but his jinking effort fell short as he could not ground the ball, before moments later he did get his second with a simple finish.

Bristol fly-half Sam Worsley rounded off the scoring as he touched down following an electric burst from teenage debutant Ollie Harris that set him up.