Bath Rugby shrugged off the absence of skipper Ben Spencer to overwhelm injury-ravaged Harlequins at The Rec and stay hot on the heels of Gallagher PREM leaders Northampton Saints.
Bath Rugby were not fazed by losing skipper Ben Spencer to injury in the lead-up to their match with Harlequins here at The Rec and raced to a 48-15 success on Saturday 18th April | Photo © Richard Briggs
Scrum-half Spencer had been due to start but was withdrawn from the matchday 23 because of a shoulder problem.
And despite not producing a vintage performance, the Blue, Black & White scored eight tries as they posted a 48-15 victory on Saturday 18th April to close Round 13 still only one point behind the Midlanders.
However, Johann van Graan’s side were agonisingly close to taking over at the top of the table.
Northampton were given the expected tough time by Exeter Chiefs in the 3.05pm kick-off and needed a last-gasp try to secure the victory that lifted them – albeit temporarily – six points clear of Bath, whose match began at 5.30pm.
The Blue, Black & White had 56% of the possession and 52% of the territory. They entered Quins’ 22 on 16 occasions – the visitors got into Bath’s only nine times.
The hosts gained 587 metres in attack, Harlequins managing 423 metres. And in defence, the Somerset team made 83 tackles, whereas the travellers were forced to make 128.
Bath found themselves two tries down early in the Round 1 encounter with Quins at Twickenham Stoop Stadium in September – but there was no repeat in the return.
Captained by Charlie Ewels, Bath took the lead in the fourth minute. Santi Carreras intercepted a pass from the guests’ Jarrod Evans just outside the home 22 and dashed down the left before cutting in and touching down under the posts. Finn Russell converted.
Harlequins reduced the deficit in the 13th minute, Bryn Bradley forcing his way over in the right corner. Marcus Smith’s conversion attempt crashed against the right post.
The hosts added their second try in the 15th minute. Tom Carr-Smith fed Ollie Lawrence who then returned the ball to him six metres out for a score under the posts, Russell booting the extras.
The Londoners had an Alex Dombrandt try ruled out for obstruction in the 24th minute but they did get themselves on the scoreboard again five minutes later, Smith landing a 10-metre penalty from in front of the posts.
Bath ensured a 21-8 advantage at the interval thanks to another converted try. Following an offload by Russell, Carreras sidestepped a posse of defenders before touching down behind the posts in the 30th minute. Russell kicked the two points.
The four-try bonus point – the Blue, Black & White’s 11th of the PREM campaign – was claimed in the 43rd minute, Tom Dunn touching down on the right from a rolling maul. Russell’s conversion attempt went wide of the left post.
Harlequins bagged their second try when, in the 46th minute, a Russell pass just inside the Bath 10-metre line was intercepted by Guido Petti Pagadizábal who offloaded for Kieran Treadwell to batter his way over on the left. Smith majored and the hosts’ advantage was reduced to 26-15.
But Bath scored again in the 49th minute, Alfie Barbeary passing to Ewan Richards for a short-range try in the left corner. Russell missed from the tee.
Head of rugby van Graan made wholesale changes in the 54th minute, bringing on seven replacements. And one of them, Josh Bayliss, scored a try only two minutes later, going over in the left corner after a 42-metre charge. With Russell having gone off, kicking duties fell to Carreras – but his conversion attempt was off target and the home side led 36-15.
The Blue, Black & White’s seventh try – this in the 63rd minute – was scored by Guy Pepper, who crossed in the right corner after receiving a lofted pass from Lawrence. Carreras slotted over the extra points.
And in the 69th minute, Bernard van der Linde appeared to have scored a delightful try. He broke away, chipped Harlequins’ Sean Kerr, gathered the ball and touched down at the back of the in-goal area, just to the right of the posts. But the score was denied for obstruction.
When asked by the Echo for his thoughts on the try being disallowed, van Graan said at Bath’s post-match press conference: “Decision made, I accept the decision. From a pure moment point of view, pretty special show, goes straight through…”
However, to the delight of home fans in the sellout crowd of 14,509, van der Linde did score at the death when he dotted down to the right of the posts after picking up six metres out. Carreras’ conversion attempt went wide of the right post.
Shortly before the final try was scored, a spectator dressed only in trunks and a pink balaclava invaded the pitch.
During a break in play, he arrived from the north end of the stadium and covered most of the length of the pitch before grabbing the ball and kicking it away.
He then headed back towards his start point, evading capture by the stewards until he had almost got there.
Bath starting XV: 1 Scott Kirk, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Ewan Richards, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Tom Carr-Smith, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Santi Carreras.
Bath replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Louie Hennessey, 23 Miles Reid.
Harlequins starting XV: 1 Will Hobson, 2 George Turner, 3 Joe Jones, 4 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 6 Guido Petti Pagadizábal, 7 Jack Kenningham, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 9 Lucas Friday, 10 Jarrod Evans, 11 Cadan Murley, 12 Bryn Bradley, 13 Sean Kerr, 14 Nick David, 15 Marcus Smith.
Harlequins replacements: 16 Jack Musk, 17 Ethan Clarke, 18 Ollie Streeter, 19 Elliot Williams, 20 Zach Carr, 21 Will Evans, 22 Stu Townsend, 23 Cameron Anderson.
Victory for Bath on Saturday 25th April will take them into pole position in the table – their opponents will be the Saints at the cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens (5.30pm).
