The reigning champions are top of the Gallagher PREM table – and they are going to be hard to dislodge.
Bath Rugby are the only side in the Gallagher PREM to have won three games this season, the latest success being against Gloucester Rugby at The Rec | Photo © Richard Briggs
Bath Rugby overcame Gloucester Rugby 38-17 at The Rec on Saturday 11th October as part of the league’s Derby Weekend, and have a two-point lead at the summit after Round 3.
Johann van Graan’s side are the only team to have won three matches. And the way they played in the first half against the Cherry & Whites, opening up a 28-0 lead, suggests they are going to be very, very tough to beat.
Some of the statistics suggest a closer game than it was, when in reality the travellers were blown away for the first 30 minutes.
Overall, Bath had 52% of the possession and 58% of the territory and entered the Gloucester 22 on 14 occasions, the visitors making 11 incursions.
But George Skivington’s team did have a man advantage when home captain Finn Russell was yellow carded by referee Karl Dickson in the 50th minute after kicking the ball while on the ground in a ruck.
With Russell off the field, Gloucester scored two tries to add to Will Joseph’s score at the end of the first half.
Had Ross Byrne been successful with his second-period conversion attempts, the home team would have been only seven points ahead with a quarter of the game to go.
But when Russell returned, Bath regained control and finished worthy and convincing winners in front of a capacity crowd of 14,509.
The Blue, Black & White took the lead in the seventh minute. Ollie Lawrence kicked ahead and Henry Arundell outpaced two defenders to pick up and offload to Tom de Glanville, who went over in the left corner. Russell converted.
Hooker Tom Dunn scored Bath’s next try, breaking off from a maul two metres out to touch down on the left in the 20th minute. Again Russell landed the extras.
Home try number three arrived seven minutes later, Lawrence going over from short range to the left of the posts after Bath recycled following a great run from Arundell. Russell’s conversion made it 21-0.
The four-try bonus point was secured in the 30th minute, Ewan Richards kicking the ball on 30 metres out, gathering and sliding over just to the right of the posts. Russell majored.
However, the Cherry & Whites gained a foothold in the game right on half-time. Joseph took possession in the centre of the pitch 35 metres out, dashed to the right wing, deceived several defenders and touched down in the right corner. It was a tremendous try. Byrne converted with the final act of the half.
In the 54th minute, with Russell in the sin bin, Gloucester made further inroads into the Bath lead. Charlie Atkinson’s lofted pass found Ollie Thorley in space on the left and he dived over. Byrne’s conversion attempt struck the left post.
The visitors scored again in the 58th minute. Joseph made a 50-metre burst and the ball ended up with Ben Loader, who touched down in the right corner. Byrne was out of luck with the conversion once more, this time the ball striking the right stick.
With Bath’s lead cut to 28-17, head of rugby van Graan brought on Santi Carreras and Chris Harris – both former Gloucester players – in the 60th minute.
And Russell’s return from exile saw him kick a 23-metre penalty in the 61st minute to give the Blue, Black & White further daylight at 31-17.
The moment that killed the Cherry & Whites’ challenge came in the 66th minute, Richards running in from 25 metres to add Bath’s fifth try. Russell converted to extend his 100% record from the tee to six kicks on the day.
The hosts appeared to have bagged a sixth try when Joe Cokanasiga touched down behind the posts in the 73rd minute – but television match official Dan Jones ruled that there had been a knock on earlier in the move.
Russell, who received the Pol Roger Performance of the Match award, made way for Neil le Roux two minutes later.
And there was still time for Bath to go close to another try, Kepueli Tuipulotu held up in the 79th minute. Had Tuipulotu touched down, the score would not have stood, as Jones decreed that the replacement hooker had knocked on.
Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Ewan Richards, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Josh Bayliss, 9 Tom Carr-Smith, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville.
Bath replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Miles Reid, 20 Alfie Barbeary, 21 Neil le Roux, 22 Santi Carreras, 23 Chris Harris.
Gloucester starting XV: 1 Ciaran Knight, 2 Seb Blake, 3 Nepo Laulala, 4 Cam Jordan, 5 Matias Alemanno, 6 Freddie Thomas, 7 James Venter, 8 Josh Basham, 9 Tomos Williams, 10 Ross Byrne, 11 Ollie Thorley, 12 Seb Atkinson, 13 Will Joseph, 14 Ben Loader, 15 Charlie Atkinson.
Gloucester replacements: 16 Jack Innard, 17 Archie McArthur, 18 Afolabi Fasogbon, 19 Hugh Bokenham, 20 Jack Mann, 21 Harry Taylor, 22 Caolan Englefield, 23 Josiah Edwards-Giraud.
Next up for Bath is a trip to Leicester Tigers – the club they beat in last season’s Gallagher Premiership final – on Saturday 18th October.
The Gallagher PREM Round 4 match at Mattioli Woods Welford Road will kick off at 3.05pm.
