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Another shocking first-half performance leaves Bath well beaten again
The losing Bath run was extended to five games as Harlequins secured a deserved 28-15 Gallagher Premiership victory at The Rec. Director of rugby Stuart Hooper saw his team hammered 48-3 by Bristol Bears eight days earlier and they were again well beaten after producing a shocking first-half performance.
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Harlequins backed up their impressive win at Wasps with another success thanks to tries from Alex Dombrandt, Aaron Morris and Danny Care. Hooper must now be fearful for his job because even though Bath scored through Tom Dunn and Tom De Glanville, Harlequins never really looked like losing.
Bath were forced into a late change before kick-off with Josh McNally ruled out. Ethan Staddon came in for his first start with scrum-half Ben Spencer taking over the captaincy. Bath fly-half Rhys Priestland and his opposite number Marcus Smith swapped early penalties, but Quins’ first try was an absolute peach. Louis Lynagh, Mike Brown and Care were all involved in the attack.
Brown could have scored but found Care who popped up to Dombrandt. Smith improved the effort from underneath the posts before dancing through midfield in thrilling fashion. Smith continued his fine start with a penalty to put Harlequins 13-3 up but was then forced off with a blood injury to be replaced by James Lang who immediately kicked three points.
Harlequins were dominant. Dombrandt had a second try ruled out for Joe Marchant blocking the Bath defence from stopping him reaching for the line. It did not stop Quins wing Morris from soon diving over despite Zach Mercer attempting to scrag him high. Smith did not return, but that did not stop his team. Bath were awful and on a rare visit to the opposition 22, they gave away a scrum penalty.
'Coming into a professional environment it’s probably a wake-up call'
@alex_dombrandt had to shed 10kg when came to @harlequins He talks to @heagneyl 👨💻 about uni, the assaults that nearly ended his career, England and why Gussy is off-limitshttps://t.co/PxmwYDAJOx
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Bath wing Semesa Rokoduguni went through a gap at the start of the second half and it looked like Hooper had handed them a rocket at the break. Hooker Dunn went over from close range and Priestland converted, but any hope of a Bath revival was hit by Rokoduguni seeing yellow for a deliberate knock on.
Care immediately dived over to score and Josh Matavesi joined Rokoduguni in the sin bin for a high shot on the former England scrum-half as he scored. Lang converted anyway. Going down to 13 men was never going to help Bath although they did at least stay in the fight until Rokoduguni and Matavesi returned to the field.
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Harlequins pushed for a bonus-point score in the final 10 minutes and the only disappointment for them on another promising afternoon was the fact a fourth try did not arrive. De Glanville did grab a late Bath consolation, but the conversion was missed by Tian Schoeman which meant Bath went home with nothing yet again despite incessant late pressure.
'When he got named in the Scotland squad I played Flower of Scotland through the speakers when we having breakfast' 😅 #ENGvSCO #sixnations https://t.co/wi3N9wzUji
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 4, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Hi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
3 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
3 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to comments