Rampaging Bath Rugby scored 14 tries when they hosted CHAMP Rugby outfit Bedford Blues in a friendly on Friday 13th March.
Bath Rugby crushed Bedford Blues in a friendly here at The Rec on Friday 13th March as they gear up for the return of Gallagher PREM action | Photo © Richard Briggs
The Blue, Black & White had been left without a fixture last weekend when they bowed out of the PREM Rugby Cup at the semi-final stage, the showpiece taking place on Sunday 15th March.
But they arranged the match with Bedford to fill the gap and romped to a remarkable 94-14 victory as they build towards the resumption of Gallagher PREM action.
The friendly was designed to give Bath’s squad valuable game time ahead of their PREM Round 11 clash with Saracens at The Rec on Friday 20th March (7.45pm).
And the Blue, Black & White named 38 players for the fixture. A very powerful side was packed with a host of big names, including – among the replacements – Henry Arundell, one of this year’s England picks for the Guinness Six Nations.
Indeed Arundell scored three touchdowns for England against Wales on Saturday 7th February, bagged one against Scotland on Saturday 14th February – and weighed in with two against the Blues.
However, Bedford – who are second in the CHAMP table – had the cheek to score first at The Rec, Tommy Herman going over in the fifth minute. The conversion from Michael le Bourgeois left the visitors 7-0 up.
Bath went over for their first points in the ninth minute, Joe Cokanasiga crossing. Santi Carreras was unable to convert.
And it was not until the 16th minute that the Somerset team moved in front, Ollie Lawrence touching down. The conversion from Carreras made it 12-7.
Once again the Blues were not reading the script, and they soon took a 14-12 lead when George Worth’s try was majored by le Bourgeois.
But once the Blue, Black & White regained the initiative in the 25th minute through an Alfie Barbeary score – Carreras adding the extras – the chances of a shock result were no more.
It was now all Bath. Tom Dunn touched down in the 29th minute and Carreras was successful from the tee to increase the advantage to 26-14.
Lawrence added his second try of the evening when he went over in 36th minute, Carreras again converting.
And it became 40-14 on the cusp of half-time, Cokanasiga scoring again and Carreras booting the two points.
Will Muir added to the try tally five minutes into the second period, Carreras majoring.
Bath passed their half-century of points in the 50th minute, Muir touching down once more to take the score to 52-14. Carreras was off target from the tee.
Bernard van der Linde touched down shortly afterwards, Carreras converting, and then Arundell went over 10 minutes later, this after a superb charge upfield by Dan Frost. Carreras landed the extras.
Sam Winters scored the home side’s 11th try, this in the 65th minute, and Carreras converted to make it 73-14.
Will Jeanes crossed almost immediately and Will Roue majored.
Winters completed a quickfire double by touching down in the 68th minute, Roue converting.
The Blue, Black & White’s final try came from Arundell at the death, Roue kicking the extra points.
Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Kieran Verden, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ewan Richards, 7 Miles Reid, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Tom Carr-Smith, 10 Max Ojomoh, 11 Will Muir, 12 Cameron Redpath, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Santi Carreras.
Bath replacements: Henry Arundell, Josh Bayliss, Jack Bennett, Will Butt, Ieuan Davies, Tom de Glanville, Ioan Emanuel, Austin Emens, Dan Frost, Alfie Griffin, Chris Harris, Will Jeanes, Scott Kirk, James Maloney, Tyler Mason, Will Roue, Jasper Spandler, Mikey Summerfield, George Timmins, Kepu Tuipulotu, Bernard van der Linde, Francois van Wyk, Sam Winters.
Johann van Graan’s men will go into the Saracens match lying second in the table, two points adrift of leaders Northampton Saints and four points ahead of third-placed Bristol Bears.
Leicester Tigers are fourth – in the last of the play-off berths – one point further back. However, Exeter Chiefs, in fifth spot, are just a point beyond Leicester.
The Tigers will go into Round 11 on a high after their 66-14 thumping of the Chiefs in the PREM Cup final.
Realistically, sixth-placed Sarries are the lowest-placed side in with a chance of reaching the play-offs, being four points behind Leicester.
Meanwhile, Bath have been given the all-clear in their extra salary-cap audit for the 2024-25 campaign.
A statement from the club on 13th March said: “Bath Rugby can confirm it has completed its additional salary-cap audit for the 2024-25 season.
“The club welcomes the conclusion of the thorough audit process which reaffirms its compliance with the league’s financial regulations.
“In addition to the annual audit, the salary regulations require the winning PREM Rugby team to undertake a further independent, forensic audit.
“Bath Rugby fully supported and complied with this process, opening its books to the additional review.”
The Blue, Black & White gave full access to emails and mobile-phone records – including WhatsApp messages – relating to members of the senior management and directors.
And financial records were provided by 50% of the playing squad, including more than half of the club’s highest-paid players. These records included personal tax returns, and, where applicable, image rights company tax returns, for the previous two years – plus personal bank statements, and, where applicable, image rights company bank statements, for the previous two years.
The audit also included interviews by the salary-cap director with six of the club’s players.
Tarquin McDonald, Bath’s chief executive, said: “We believe a strong and robustly enforced salary cap is a fundamental pillar of PREM Rugby and welcome the conclusion of the extended salary-cap audit which reaffirms our compliance with the salary regulations.
“We remain committed to resourcing the best-possible squad, coaches and support staff, together with a top-level academy and a thriving player pathway across our region, while adhering to the highest standards of financial governance.”
