That’s two Gallagher PREM games, two show-stopping moments for Bath Rugby’s stand-in fly-half Max Ojomoh this season.
An indication of how bad the weather was at The Rec during the Bath v Sale match | Left, it’s rain not graininess before kick-off – and right, the sodden state of the big screen at the end | Photos © Richard Briggs
The 25-year-old made a stunning long, looping pass to present Henry Arundell with a try at Harlequins in Round 1 – and he followed up by bagging a fabulous score of his own when Sale Sharks came to The Rec on Friday 3rd October.
With time running out on the Blue, Black & White’s bid to secure a fourth try – and the resultant bonus point – in wild weather conditions, Ojomoh timed his run to perfection to dive onto a chip from Ben Spencer and touch down deep in the in-goal area, just inside the dead-ball line. Television match official Dan Jones ruled that the 77th-minute try stood, Spencer converted and the hosts won the Round 2 encounter 28-16 in front of another capacity crowd of 14,509.
The result could be considered harsh on the visitors, who defended superbly in awful weather conditions – they made an energy-sapping 190 tackles and had a success rate of 88%.
But the wider statistics told a different story. Bath had 64% of the possession, 67% of the territory and entered the Sale 22 on 16 occasions. The Sharks got into the home 22 only three times. The Blue, Black & White gained 320 metres across the evening, whereas their guests made 192 metres.
Storm Amy held off until fans were in the stadium – and then she let rip. A swirling wind and driving rain made conditions on the pitch very difficult and emphasised the dedication of the thousands of spectators watching the action, and roaring on their team, from the uncovered stands.
With the wind behind them in the first half, Sale took a third-minute lead with a 39-metre penalty, from just to the right of the posts, by George Ford.
Bath responded with a marvellous try four minutes later. Ollie Lawrence picked up the ball and surged 35 metres down the left, offloading to Henry Arundell. The winger burst away 35 metres out and dotted down to the left of the posts for a try on his home debut, having grabbed a brace against Quins a week earlier. Spencer majored and the Blue, Black & White were 7-3 ahead.
The arrears were reduced when Ford dropped a goal from 30 metres in the 20th minute.
But the hosts notched their second try five minutes later, Miles Reid punching a hole through the defence following a line-out and passing to Cameron Redpath to run in from 12 metres and score behind the posts. Spencer again landed the extras and Bath led 14-6.
Ford tried his luck with a 52-metre penalty from in front of the posts in the 33rd minute. But his wind-assisted effort hit the left stick. However, Bath’s clearance went straight to him and he dropped another goal, this time from 47 metres, to make it 14-9.
Ernst van Rhyn, the Sharks’ captain, was sin binned shortly afterwards.
Then Beno Obano bulldozed over from close range – another decision for the TMO – in the 36th minute and Spencer converted to send Bath in at half-time with a 21-9 cushion.
With the weather no doubt taking its toll on the teams, the second period was less of a spectacle. But Sale scored their only try of the match in the 48th minute, Nathan Jibulu touching down from short range on the right. England centurion Ford booted the two points and the Sharks were right back in contention at 21-16 adrift.
Spencer was narrowly off target with a 38-metre penalty from slightly to the left of the posts in the 75th minute. But two minutes later, he combined with Ojomoh to make the game safe for Bath and earn that crucial fifth point on the night.
There was still time for Sale replacement WillGriff John to be yellow carded, this after his second instance of head-to-head contact. As he approached the bench, the Wales prop seemed to revel in Bath fans’ displeasure at his actions.
Some bad news from the match for Bath came in the form of injuries to forwards Charlie Ewels, Quinn Roux and Ted Hill. But Dan Frost made his debut when he came on as a replacement, and Alfie Barbeary – who earned cult status after stripping down to his swimming trunks for the club’s victory parade in June – arrived off the bench for his 50th appearance as a Blue, Black & White.
Spencer was named winner of the Pol Roger Performance of the Match award.
Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Miles Reid, 9, Ben Spencer, 10 Max Ojomoh, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Cameron Redpath, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville.
Bath replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Will Butt, 23 Alfie Barbeary.
Sale starting XV: 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4 Ben Bamber, 5 Hyron Andrews, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 7 Ben Curry, 8 Sam Dugdale, 9 Gus Warr, 10 George Ford, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 12 Sam Bedlow, 13 Rob du Preez, 14 Tom Roebuck, 15 Joe Carpenter.
Sale replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Tom Burrow, 20 Tristan Woodman, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Arron Reed, 23 Marius Louw.
Bath lie second in the Gallagher PREM table, level on points with leaders Saracens.
Round 3 brings the Blue, Black & White their first league derby of the season – against Gloucester Rugby at The Rec on Saturday 11th October (5.30pm). Tickets are available here.
