Bath score 28 points in last 19 minutes to stay in play-off hunt
Bath staged a stunning fightback to stay on course for the Gallagher Premiership play-offs by beating rivals Gloucester 31-20 at the Recreation Ground. Gloucester led by 17 points entering the final quarter, but Bath moved second in the table after hooker Tom Dunn touched down twice in five minutes before prop Lewis Boyce powered over and scrum-half Ben Spencer added a 78th-minute bonus-point score.
Fly-half Rhys Priestland kicked four conversions and a penalty, and victory over Saracens in their final regular-season game on Sunday week will be enough to secure a top-four finish.
Gloucester conceded 28 points during the final 19 minutes and they could scarcely believe what had hit them. Tries by centre Chris Harris and former Bath player Matt Banahan put them in the driving seat, with Billy Twelvetrees kicking ten points, yet it ultimately proved nowhere near enough.
The Premiership game was played behind closed doors after Bath’s hopes of welcoming 1,000 spectators as Premiership rugby’s latest pilot event were dashed just hours before kick-off.
Concern over the second wave of coronavirus infections has resulted in plans for supporters to attend sports venues in England from October 1 to be placed on hold as part of additional new restrictions announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Comeback: COMPLETE! ?
Magnificent turnaround from Bath, a bonus-point score! ?
How good is it to see Joe Cokanasiga involved? ? pic.twitter.com/F5QBkokg0u
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) September 22, 2020
Bath showed four changes from the side that beat play-off rivals Sale Sharks last time out, including returns for full-back Anthony Watson, wing Semesa Rokoduguni and lock Elliott Stooke. Gloucester left out fly-half Danny Cipriani, with Lloyd Evans wearing the No10 shirt and scrum-half Willi Heinz making a first appearance since Premiership action restarted last month after recovering from injury.
Former Bath players Banahan and Matt Garvey were also included in the Gloucester line-up, and the visitors made a superb start in front of England boss Eddie Jones and British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland.
Twelvetrees found his range with a 48-metre penalty to open Gloucester’s account after nine minutes. And although Bath enjoyed plenty of territory and possession, they could not make it count before Gloucester punished them through an incisive 20th-minute try.
Evans evoked shades of Cipriani’s game-breaking prowess when he weaved his way through Bath’s defence, before sending a scoring pass to Harris, and Twelvetrees’ conversion made it 10-0.
A Priestland penalty reduced the deficit, but he missed two other shots at goal, and Gloucester looked a more potent attacking threat heading towards half-time. Bath could not find a way through, and another Twelvetrees penalty four minutes before the break secured a 13-3 interval advantage.
Twelvetrees and Priestland both missed long-range penalty chances early in the second period, and Bath sought inspiration as England wing Joe Cokanasiga went on for his first appearance since last autumn’s World Cup after recovering from a knee injury.
Gloucester, though, ripped Bath’s defence to shreds through a brilliant move that prominently featured flanker Jake Polledri before Banahan touched down and Twelvetrees converted.
Bath were virtually down and out, before giving themselves a lifeline through Dunn’s 61st-minute touchdown that Priestland converted. And he struck again just five minutes later, rounding off relentless Bath pressure, with Priestland’s conversion setting up a grandstand finish that reached its conclusion when Boyce powered over and Priestland converted before Spencer crossed.
Bath do not know when they are beaten! ?
From 20-3 down, they now lead the West Country derby! ?
Lewis Boyce with the decisive score ? pic.twitter.com/xlN6LGhVrp
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) September 22, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
The events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
4 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
27 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
5 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
5 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
27 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
20 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
27 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
27 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
27 Go to comments