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Henry Arundell hurts Saracens as Bath sink Gallagher Prem title rivals
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Henry Arundell sent Saracens crashing to defeat as Bath emerged from the international break with a 36-29 victory that propelled them two points clear the top of the Gallagher Prem.
With the title rivals on course for a 29-29 draw, Arundell pounced by running in his second try in the 76th minute having also opened the scoring for the champions with an early intercept.
The decisive moment was made possible by the wing’s England team-mate Max Ojomoh, a final-quarter replacement who skilfully caught Finn Russell’s low pass and charged forward before timing the final pass to perfection.
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Ojomoh was the matchwinner in England’s victory over Argentina a week ago and this was another influential performance from the playmaker who is hoping to retain his Test place in the Six Nations.
It completed an impressive comeback from Bath given they only took the lead for the first time in the 54th minute and had to respond after falling 14-0 behind following a lacklustre start.
Saracens seemed unstoppable as they plundered tries on each of their first two visits to the 22, Max Malins and Juan Martin Gonzalez rounding off precise and ambitious attacks.
Malins went over following an interchange down the left with Lucio Cinti after Noah Caluori had won an aerial duel on the opposite wing, pre-empting an attack from deep.
Tom Willis’ carry and off-load were instrumental in Gonzalez’s try, but it was Owen Farrell’s flat pass to the onrushing Ben Earl that made the score possible. Willis then limped off injured.
Any sense Saracens were coasting vanished when Bath hit back with a Russell penalty and Arundell intercept try from 80 metres out.
Arundell struck after England squad mate Caluori had completed a towering catch only for the ball to be lost several phases later, but the home wing took partial revenge after he beat Arundell to a high ball soon after.
Saracens continued to be deadly in the opposition 22, however, with their next raid given momentum by centre Nick Tompkins making an effective, if unusual carry, and ending with Malins strolling over.
A long-range Farrell drop goal followed but Bath stayed in the hunt with a line-out maul finished by Tom Dunn and their power game continued to serve them well early in the second half.
For all the forward pick-and-goes, it was a moment of deception that undid Saracens with Ben Spencer passing a tap penalty to Will Butt to score just as it looked like his pack would carry again.
Bath were in full flight as they registered the bonus point when Arthur Green finished a sweeping move that included strong supporting roles for Josh Bayliss, Arundell and Spencer.
The rivals were proving hard to separate after the scored was tied 29-29 once Gonzalez had finished a series of forward drives.
Elliot Daly, making his first appearance for Saracens since the British and Irish Lions tour, nudged a long-range penalty attempt wide as a grandstand finish beckoned in north London.
The tension grew until Arundell scored the winning try with five minutes left.
