Thomas du Toit: 'The closest I had got to a hat-trick was scoring in 3 games in a row'

Hat-trick hero Thomas du Toit says Bath will be braced for “a real challenge” from Exeter in the Gallagher PREM play-offs.

Bath secured home advantage after edging past Leicester 24-22 at a rainswept Recreation Ground.

The reigning PREM champions withstood a powerful Leicester challenge to nail down second place behind Northampton and will now host Exeter, while Tigers visit Saints.

Exeter secured third spot through a 32-12 victory over Saracens, and they now visit a Bath side one win away from making a third successive PREM final appearance.

Bath had South African prop Du Toit to thank for putting them in the driving seat as he scored three tries, all from close range.

“We are just so grateful to play at home (next Saturday). Exeter have shown what type of team they are, and we are up for a real challenge,” Du Toit told TNT Sports.

“We know every time we play Leicester they are a formidable side. They have an unbelievable scrum, they are full of brilliant players and they are rock-hard.

“They play such a physical game, and it is amazing to measure yourself up against a team like them.

“The closest I had got to a hat-trick was scoring in three games in a row, and it is so funny to see how it came about today. Everyone gets you in the position close to the line, and then I just have to do the extra thing from a few metres.”

Wing Joe Cokanasiga also touched down for Bath, with fly-half Santi Carreras kicking two conversions, but Leicester went toe to toe for long periods through tries by Orlando Bailey, Jack van Poortvliet and George Pearson, while James O’Connor added two conversions and a penalty.

Paying tribute to Du Toit, Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said: “Thomas is an incredible player.

“From a tighthead perspective what he does in the scrum, the lineouts, mauls, his try-scoring ability, he is an incredible player who represents what the group is about.

“It’s great to be in a home semi-final. Credit to the players. It shows the hard work that has been put in.

“It was like a Test match out there today, with two very good teams, difficult weather and we came away with a two-point victory.

“I thought the team stuck to what they needed to do. It wasn’t a game for pretty rugby, it was going be a set-piece and aerial battle.”

A Leicester victory would have seen them finish second, but their title hopes now rest on them overcoming 2024 PREM champions Northampton.

Tigers head coach Geoff Parling said: “I thought we did lots of good things in the game, but they probably managed conditions better in the first half.

“We will dust ourselves off, take some learnings, and put everything into the Saints game next Friday.

“Both teams delivered a real cracker of a game. Some moments could have gone our way, but they didn’t.”