Bath repel late surge from devastated Tigers to end wait for Premiership

Bath sealed a historic treble at Twickenham after battling through the blazing heat to secure a 23-21 Gallagher Premiership final victory over Leicester at Allianz Stadium.

Their tries came from Thomas du Toit and Max Ojomoh on a brilliant afternoon for Scotland captain Finn Russell, who kicked three penalties and two conversions.

Jack van Poortvliet opened the scoring with a try for underdogs Leicester, while tries from Solomone Kata and Emeka Ilione – the latter with less than five minutes remaining – dialled up the drama, Handre Pollard adding three conversions but missing a penalty of his own.

The Tigers twice had men sent to the sin bin – departing captain Julián Montoya late the first half, while it was not an ideal send-off for the retiring Dan Cole, who saw yellow late in the second.

Van Graan’s side ended the club’s 17-year trophy drought earlier in the campaign by lifting the Premiership Rugby Cup, before then winning the European Challenge Cup last month with victory over Lyon in Cardiff.

Leicester were unchanged from their Sale semi-final triumph, while Van Graan made two changes for Bath, bringing in Miles Reid in for Alfie Barbeary at number eight and du Toit coming into the front row.

Eurovision 2022 runner-up Sam Ryder and his electric guitar were in the house to shred his way through the national anthem before kick-off, and Leicester drew first blood after winning an early scrum penalty.

Pollard expertly kicked from hand to the five-metre line and, after Tigers came up just short in the ensuing maul, scrum-half van Poortvliet was able to pry the ball away from the base and dive down before Pollard added the extras.

Bath reduced the deficit four minutes after conceding the opening try after winning a penalty just outside Tigers’ 22, Russell getting his side on the scoreboard in the ninth minute.

Van Graan’s side were plagued by handling errors as a cagey contest approached the midway point, then began to find a foothold and took the lead when a big carry over the gain line allowed du Toit to pick up the ball from the breakdown, barge through and dot down, Russell converting to make it 10-7 in the 27th minute.

Montoya was sent to the sin bin a minute later for a high tackle on flanker Ted Hill, stood up by TMO, avoiding a red as he was the second Leicester player into the tackle.

But just as they were restored to full strength, Russell slotted in a penalty to extend Bath’s advantage to 13-7 on the stroke of half-time.

Pollard, who was off-target from 10 metres inside Bath’s half early in the second half, before the Somerset side extended their lead in style.

Russell produced an excellent interception and stormed towards the line after nicking Pollard’s pass inside his own half before teeing up outside centre Ojomoh, who crossed under the posts.

Russell added the extras, and there was reprieve for Leicester when TMO ruled out a Guy Pepper try for a Will Muir knock-on in the build-up.

But Solomone Kata’s 67th-minute try and Pollard’s conversion made it 20-14 before Cole, who had come on in the 63rd minute, was then issued a controversial yellow for his challenge on Russell, who gave Bath some breathing room with the resulting penalty.

Leicester reduced the deficit with less than five minutes remaining when replacement Ilione crossed, Pollard converting.

However, they came up just short in their comeback bid as Bath ended their 29-year wait for the title.