Bath Rugby fielded a far superior side to that which Bristol Bears could muster and cruised to a 49-19 win at Ashton Gate Stadium in PREM Rugby Cup Round 3.
Bath Rugby scored seven tries as they demolished Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate Stadium in PREM Rugby Cup Round 3 | Photo © Richard Briggs
The Blue, Black & White mixed youth with experience in their matchday XXIII and scored seven tries on Friday 31st October as they brushed aside the injury-ravaged hosts, who had the temerity to take a 5-0 lead.
But after that early shock, the visitors – led by Ryan Davis in the absence of Johann van Graan – took control of a match played largely in strong wind and heavy rain.
Bath had 60% of the possession, gained 507 metres and made 82 tackles. The beleaguered Bears gained 237 metres and made 158 tackles.
The victory gave the cup holders their first success in the competition this season and set them up nicely for a clash with Pool A leaders Gloucester Rugby in their next match, at Kingsholm Stadium on Friday 14th November.
The only disappointment for the guests was losing number 8 Alfie Barbeary to a leg injury in the 29th minute. He was helped off the pitch, limping.
A crowd of 14,670 turned up at Ashton Gate for the derby. And they saw Bristol go in front in the 12th minute. Hooker Tomos Gwilliam touched down after a drive on the left following a line-out 10 metres from Bath’s line. Raff Weston was unable to convert.
But the Blue, Black & White got on the scoreboard three minutes later – and they did not look back. The impressive Kepueli Tuipulotu went over from short range on the left after another driving line-out. Stand-in fly-half Tom de Glanville added the extras.
The advantage was extended in the 18th minute, Vilikesa Sela crossing to the left of the posts after a pass from Neil le Roux 10 metres out. Again de Glanville majored.
Bath added their third try a minute before half-time, Arthur Green touching down under the posts from short range and de Glanville successful from the tee to put them 21-5 up.
The guests secured the four-try bonus point two minutes into the second period, Charlie Griffin touching down near the left corner after Bath applied pressure on the Bristol line. A tremendous conversion from de Glanville left the Bears 23 points adrift.
However, Bristol reduced the deficit with a sniped try on the left from Wales international Ellis Bevan in the 47th minute. Weston’s conversion made the score 28-12.
Normal service was resumed in the 55th minute. Griffin intercepted on halfway, burst forward and cut in from the left to touch down near the posts, de Glanville converting.
The Blue, Black & White soon grabbed their sixth try. In the 61st minute, Tuipilotu scored from close range on the left from a maul following a line-out and de Glanville landed the two points.
Bristol bagged their third try when, in the 64th minute, Gwilliam pounced from a driving line-out on the right. Weston converted.
But the last word went to Bath. They completed their try haul in the 72nd minute, Will Butt powering in from five metres to score just to the left of the posts. De Glanville capped a magnificent night’s work by slotting over his seventh conversion.
The fixture was better tempered than the Gallagher PREM game between the clubs at The Rec on Saturday 25th October. However, there were mild scuffles in the 12th, 50th and 75th minutes.
Bath starting XV: 1 Scott Kirk, 2 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Will Jeanes, 5 Ewan Richards, 6 Arthur Green, 7 Ethan Staddon, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Neil le Roux, 10 Tom de Glanville, 11 Charlie Griffin, 12 Will Butt, 13 Chris Harris, 14 Tyler Offiah, 15 Jack Woods.
Bath replacements: 16 Jasper Spandler, 17 Mikey Summerfield, 18 Kieran Verden, 19 Harvey Cuckson, 20 George Timmins, 21 Ieuan Davies, 22 James Linegar, 23 Sam Winters.
Bristol starting XV: 1 Sam Grahamslaw, 2 Tomas Gwilliam, 3 Jimmy Halliwell, 4 Paddy Pearce, 5 Joe Owen, 6 Luka Ivanishvili, 7 Kofi Cripps, 8 Benjamin Grondona, 9 Sam Wolstenholme, 10 Raff Weston, 11 Aidan Boshoff, 12 Victor Worsnip, 13 Jack Bates, 14 Josh Carrington, 15 Mat Protheroe.
Bristol replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Louie Trevett, 18 Lovejoy Chawatama, 19 Steele Barker, 20 Kenzie Jenkins, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Evan Morris, 23 Ben Elizalde.
Seven Bath players are part of the 36-man England squad that assembled at the England Rugby Performance Centre at Pennyhill Park on Sunday 2nd November to prepare for the Quilter Nations Series match against Fiji at the Allianz Stadium, London, on Saturday 8th November.
The Blue, Black & White players at the Basgshot, Surrey, venue are forwards Beno Obano, Guy Pepper, Will Stuart and Sam Underhill and backs Henry Arundell, Ollie Lawrence and Ben Spencer.
England squad:
Forwards: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), Tom Lockett (Northampton Saints), Beno Obano (Bath), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Guy Pepper (Bath), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Will Stuart (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath).
Backs: Henry Arundell (Bath), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), Ollie Lawrence (Bath), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers).
Pepper and Underhill were in the England starting XV for the 25-7 victory over Australia at HQ in the Quilter Nations Series on Saturday 1st November. Underhill set up Ben Earl to run in England’s opening try.
Stuart arrived from the bench in the 52nd minute and was joined on the pitch by Spencer seven minutes from the end.
