Bath’s win over Bears would have rugby newcomers hooked for life

If you wanted to introduce someone to rugby so they would be hooked for life, Bath Rugby’s match against Bristol Bears on Saturday 25th October was the perfect fixture for them to attend.

The Bath Rugby starting XV during the on-pitch Remembrance commemoration before the PREM match against Bristol Bears on Saturday 25th October | Photo © Richard Briggs

The Gallagher PREM Round 5 derby at The Rec had everything.

Bristol held a 10-point lead after 29 minutes but the Blue, Black & White roared back, scoring 35 unanswered points and having two tries disallowed en route to a 40-15 victory.

There was a noisy capacity crowd of 14,509, great attacking by the hosts and stout defending by the visitors. Bath enjoyed 65% of the possession and 69% of the territory, whereas the under-pressure Bears made 241 tackles.

Towards the end there were scuffles that left some players stretched over the advertising hoardings and almost in the laps of spectators in the front row of the South Stand.

Even the weather was memorable, the first half featuring torrential rain, strong wind that aided Bristol, and sunshine.

Although Bath’s lead was just four points going into the final 15 minutes, the hosts were totally dominant in the second half and it was only a question of when they would score and how many times. Indeed the outcome would have been even more emphatic but for those two touchdowns that were ruled out by television match official David Rose.

The game was Bath’s 2025 Remembrance fixture. Before kick-off, wreaths were laid, The Last Post was played, and a minute’s silence was observed impeccably by everyone in the stadium.

Within a minute of the match getting under way, Bristol had shocked the home side by scoring the first of their two tries. Sam Worsley kicked-off and Finn Russell attempted to clear, only for his effort to be charged down. The Bears recycled, the ball was switched to the left wing and Kalaveti Ravouvou took possession six metres out and went over. Only 49 seconds were on the clock. Worsley was unable to convert.

The Last Post is played at The Rec prior to the Bath Rugby versus Bristol Bears match on Saturday 25th October – the hosts’ Remembrance fixture | Photo © Richard Briggs

The Blue, Black & White got back on terms in the 12th minute. Miles Reid took the ball 35 metres out and offloaded for Guy Pepper to run in from 22 metres, sidestepping Ravouvou and touching down on the right. Russell failed to add the extras.

With the weather having taken a turn for the worse, the travellers regained the advantage in the 22nd minute. Hooker Gabriel Oghre made a short throw to Kieran Marmion at a line-out 10 metres from the Bath try line. The ball was returned to Oghre and he scored on the left, Worsley majoring.

Bristol went 15-5 ahead seven minutes later, Worsley landing a 12-metre penalty from slightly to the right of the posts.

But Bath were back in business when, in the 34th minute, Russell – 20 metres out – chipped forward and Ollie Lawrence collected to go over just to the left of the posts. Russell was successful from the tee.

Johann van Graan’s team got in front in the 36th minute – and they did not look back. Cameron Redpath scored in the left corner after, seven metres out, accepting a lofted pass from captain Ben Spencer, Russell converted and the Blue, Black & White changed ends 19-15 up.

They thought they had secured the four-try bonus point 10 minutes into the second half when Lawrence crossed after a Spencer pass, Russell converting. But Rose denied them for a knock-on during the build-up.

A minute later, Bath were over the line again – Thomas du Toit touching down from close range – and Russell kicking the two points. But again Rose spotted a knock-on in the build-up and the score did not count.

The Bears’ Santiago Grondona was yellow carded on the hour. And Bath head coach van Graan made wholesale changes two minutes later, bringing on six forwards – Kepueli Tuipulotu, Francois van Wyk, Will Stuart, Ewan Richards, Sam Underhill and Alfie Barbeary – from the bench.

Bath finally got the fourth try their play deserved when, in the 65th minute, Joe Cokanasiga touched down in the right corner following a chip from Russell who slotted the conversion to make the score 26-15.

The Blue, Black & White bagged their fifth try in the 81st minute when Underhill went over from short range under the posts. The fracas ensued, Rose was consulted, the try stood and Russell added the extras – but van Wyk and the Bears’ Ben Grondona were sin-binned for their parts in the altercation.

There was more drama to come. With 86 minutes played, Henry Arundell intercepted a pass from Worsley 20 metres from Bath’s try line. He showed his electric pace to charge upfield and score under the posts, Russell successful with the boot to extend the advantage to 25 points. Referee Ian Tempest then blew for full-time, bringing an end to a highly entertaining match.

But while the Blue, Black & White and their supporters celebrated a superb success, Bristol were left to rue the 18 penalties they conceded.

Home hooker Tom Dunn was the winner of the Pol Roger Performance of the Match award.

Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Miles Reid, 9 Ben Spencer, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Cameron Redpath, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Santi Carreras.

Bath replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ewan Richards, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Max Ojomoh, 23 Alfie Barbeary.

Bristol starting XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 3 George Kloska, 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 5 Joe Batley, 6 Santiago Grondona, 7 Fitz Harding, 8 Viliame Mata, 9 Kieran Marmion, 10 Sam Worsley, 11 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 13 Matias Moroni, 14 Jack Bates, 15 Benjamin Elizalde.

Bristol replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Lovejoy Chawatama, 19 Joe Owen, 20 Ben Grondona, 21 Oscar Lennon, 22 Josh Carrington, 23 Toby Fricker.

The line-ups will be very different but the passion of a Bath-Bristol derby will remain when the clubs do battle again on Friday 31st October in PREM Rugby Cup Round 3.

Tickets for the game at Ashton Gate Stadium (7.45pm) are available here.

The PREM now takes a break until the final weekend of November. Bath lie in second spot in the table, two points behind leaders Northampton Saints.