What a game. What a dramatic opening to Bath Rugby’s defence of the Gallagher PREM championship. And what a send-off for their assistant coach Lee Blackett prior to his new role with England.
Henry Arundell bagged two tries on his competitive debut for Bath as they overcame Harlequins here at the Twickenham Stoop | Photo © Richard Briggs
Inside the first nine minutes at the Twickenham Stoop Stadium on Friday 26th September, Johann van Graan’s team conceded two unanswered tries – and memories of their title triumph virtually across the road at the Allianz Stadium 15 weeks earlier seemed very distant.
But the Blue, Black & White got into their stride, found themselves only 17-14 behind at half-time and blitzed the West Londoners in the second period to run out 47-31 victors and send a powerful message to the rest of the league.
Indeed hundreds of home supporters left the grandstands when Bath bagged their seventh and final try, this with four minutes remaining.
However, the boot was firmly on the other foot in the early stages.
The Quarters’ Will Evans crossed in the right corner in the second minute. And seven minutes later he burst through from 12 metres to score on the left, Jarrod Evans converting to leave Bath with plenty of work to do at 12-0 adrift.
The visitors got onto the scoreboard when Tom Dunn peeled off from a drive following a five-metre line-out to touch down on the right in the 16th minute. Ben Spencer kicked the extras.
However, Will Evans completed a hat-trick of tries when he went over in the right corner in the 30th minute to put Harlequins 17-7 up.
A 35th-minute yellow card for lock Chandler Cunningham-South proved costly for the home side as Bath grabbed two scores during his absence.
Vilikesa Sela bagged the first, bulldozing over from short range on the left. Spencer majored and the deficit was only three points.
And with the second period barely 90 seconds old, Beno Obano scored from close range on the left, captain Spencer landed the conversion and the Blue, Black & White were in front – a position they would not relinquish.
Ollie Lawrence thought he had extended the advantage in the 55th minute when he went over in the right corner, but the ‘try’ was ruled out for a foot in touch by Joe Cokanasiga.
But it was only a brief respite for Quins.
They lost replacement hooker George Turner to injury – starting hooker Jack Walker had earlier gone off crocked – meaning scrums would be uncontested.
And Bath scored in the 57th minute to increase the gap to nine points – 26-17. Henry Arundell dotted down in the left corner on his competitive debut for the club to earn the four-try bonus point. The architect of the try was stand-in fly-half Max Ojomoh, who found Arundell with a superb looping pass from in front of the posts.
Another away try came in the 63rd minute, replacement Archie Griffin notching from short range and Spencer booting the two points. When the man on the Stoop mic announced the scoreline, Harlequins 17 Bath 33, he sounded as though he was resigned to a home defeat.
The situation became even bleaker for the Quarters when Bath replacement Sam Underhill touched down from close range on the right in the 66th minute and Spencer converted.
Jack Kenningham restored some pride for Harlequins by going over from short range on the left in the 71st minute, Jarrod Evans successful from the tee to reduce the arrears to 40-24.
But Bath, who had 64% of the territory, were not finished. Arundell scored from close range on the left in the 76th minute – cue the exodus – after a pass from Tom Carr-Smith, who came off the bench only four minutes previously, and Tom de Glanville converted.
The Quins supporters who left early missed Tyrone Green racing over the whitewash for the hosts’ fifth try. It was an academic score, because referee Karl Dickson brought the match to a close immediately after Jarrod Evans slotted the conversion.
Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Josh Bayliss, 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 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Ted Hill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Chris Harris, 23 Sam Underhill.
Harlequins starting XV: 1 Fin Baxter, 2 Jack Walker, 3 Harry Williams, 4 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 6 Jack Kenningham, 7 Will Evans, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 9 Will Porter, 10 Jarrod Evans, 11 Cadan Murley, 12 Sean Kerr, 13 Oscar Beard, 14 Nick David, 15 Tyrone Green.
Harlequins replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Jordan Els, 18 Ollie Streeter, 19 Jonny Green, 20 Zach Carr, 21 Max Green, 22 Ludo Kolade, 23 Cameron Anderson.
Sale Sharks will come to The Rec in Round 2 on Friday 3rd October (7.45pm). And after the Blue, Black & White’s second-half onslaught in the capital, the Northerners should be worried – despite a 27-10 home win over Gloucester Rugby in Round 1.
