Bath Rugby relinquished their hold on the PREM Rugby Cup when they were beaten at Leicester Tigers in their semi-final on Sunday 8th March.
The PREM Rugby Cup will not be returning here to The Rec this year, as holders Bath Rugby were beaten in their 2025-26 semi-final at Leicester Tigers on Sunday 8th March | Photo © Richard Briggs
The Blue, Black & White won the competition last season – but there will be no repeat this time around, as the East Midlanders powered into the final by winning 46-21 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Leicester, the Pool B winners and the highest-seeded team to qualify for the last four, scored eight tries against Pool A runners-up Bath, who responded with three touchdowns.
But whereas the Somerset club reverted to their policy of packing their side with young players after fielding a very experienced team the previous weekend against Gloucester Rugby in Round 10, the Tigers named a powerful matchday 23.
Despite this, the Blue, Black & White had 53% of the possession. However, Leicester enjoyed 52% of the territory and entered the visitors’ 22 on 16 occasions – Bath managed nine incursions. And in attack, the Tigers gained 465 metres, whereas Bath gained 316 metres.
But Mark Lilley, Bath’s lead academy coach who was in charge for the February and March fixtures in the PREM Cup, praised his players.
He said: “We’ve used 51 players in this season’s campaign, with 11 making their debut.
“We’re very proud to get to the semi-final. What an experience for the group out there today, and for the wider team that have played throughout the competition.
“They gave it their all and they’ve learned a lot.
“We came up against a good side today, so well done to Leicester.”
The Tigers opened the scoring in the first minute with a try from full-back Tom Threlfall, a late call-up to replace former Australia Test star James O’Connor. Threlfall received the ball from Ollie Hassell-Collins 22 metres out and crossed in the left corner.
But, against the odds, Bath hit back to move 7-5 ahead, Ethan Staddon touching down on the left in the 10th minute after being fed by Ewan Richards 15 metres out, and Will Roue kicking the two points.
Billy Searle – whose last-gasp penalty earned Leicester a 22-20 Gallagher PREM win when the clubs met at Welford Road in October – restored the hosts’ advantage with a 17th-minute, behind-the-posts try that he converted.
And the Tigers ensured a 17-7 half-time lead when Tommy Reffell scored a 32nd-minute try from a line-out drive.
Former Bath man Orlando Bailey added the fourth Leicester try, this on the right in the 42nd minute, and Reffell bagged his second of the afternoon when he scored six minutes later from another line-out drive to make it 27-7.
But the Blue, Black & White kept battling and Kepueli Tuipulotu burrowed over from short range on the left in the 65th minute, Roue converting.
However, Leicester replied with three tries in the space of eight minutes to surge 46-14 in front.
Harry Palmer – from close range, under the posts – got the first of those, in the 68th minute. Searle converted.
Then Joaquín Moro added a superb score in the 74th minute, running in from 32 metres on the left after a lofted pass from Tom Whiteley, who booted the extras.
Hassell-Collins completed Leicester’s tally when he dived over in the left corner in the 76th minute.
The last word went to Bath, Alex Ridgway touching down on the right at the death after a fine break by Ioan Emamuel, and James Linegar successful from the tee.
Bath starting XV: 1 Scott Kirk, 2 Dan Frost, 3 Kieran Verden, 4 Jack Bennett, 5 Ewan Richards, 6 Ethan Staddon, 7 George Timmins, 8 Arthur Green, 9 Ieuan Davies, 10 Will Roue, 11 Charlie Griffin, 12 Will Butt, 13 Chris Harris, 14 Austin Emens, 15 Sam Winters.
Bath replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Ioan Emanuel, 18 Mikey Summerfield, 19 James Maloney, 20 Alex Ridgway, 21 Neil le Roux, 22 James Linegar, 23 Jack Harrison.
Leicester starting XV: 1 Archie van der Flier, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Will Hurd, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Tom Manz, 6 Harry Palmer, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Joaquín Moro, 9 Tom Whiteley, 10 Billy Searle, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 12 Orlando Bailey, 13 Will Wand, 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 15 Tom Threlfall.
Leicester replacements: 16 Finn Theobold-Thomas, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Ale Loman, 19 Hanro Liebenberg, 20 Josh Manz, 21 Charlie Bemand, 22 Joseph Woodward, 23 Izaia Perese.
The Tigers’ reward for victory is a home final against Exeter Chiefs – who were beaten by Bath in last year’s showpiece – on Sunday 15th March (3.30pm).
The Chiefs, who have now reached the final three times in four seasons, overcame Northampton Saints 31-14 in their semi at Sandy Park on 8th March.
