Semi Radradra gives Bristol narrow Champions Cup advantage over Sale

Bristol will be happy. No one else will. Neutrals, alas, will be the most upset of all by this, traumatised even. There was a good try, scored by Semi Radradra, whose introduction on the hour was less a tactical masterstroke, more a humanitarian gesture to those watching, so parlous had the action been up till then.

Radradra’s try means Bristol will take a one-point lead back to Ashton Gate on Friday for the second leg. Rarely had a full-time whistle been yearned for more keenly, but actually it meant only half-time in this Champions Cup tie. A harrowing cruelty indeed. The two-legged nature of the affair inclined Pat Lam to leave Charles Piutau and Radradra on the bench and, boy, was the game poorer for it. Rarely has a match needed the concept of the “finisher” more. And the sooner it could finish the better. The score on the hour was 6-3 to Sale, which massively flattered those first 60 minutes.

For a match report to be reduced to discussing individual penalties hopefully says more about the match than the writer. Even to indulge each scoring incident of the first 40 with a description would be a flattery too far.

Suffice it to say, two penalties by Rob du Preez opened up a 6-0 lead for the home side in the first 10 minutes, a break down the left by Arron Reed worthy of a mention at least in the buildup to the first. If only Sale could have involved Reed more. The 22-year-old has real pace and, until Radradra’s intervention, provided the game’s only breaks from mediocrity. Otherwise, we are talking some infringements or other at the breakdown for the rest of the half’s points. As for any variety, we had to look to the skies, whence water cascaded for a little while, to make a change from rugby balls.

Presumably unable