Bath pounce during Cunningham-South yellow card to overcome Harlequins

Harlequins flanker Will Evans’ first-half hat-trick proved in vain as reigning champions Bath got the new Gallagher Premiership season off to a winning start with a 47-31 comeback victory at Twickenham Stoop.

Bath were rattled in the first half by an enterprising Quins, but once Chandler Cunningham-South was yellow carded, there was only one team in the contest as Bath scored 33 unanswered points.

Jack Kenningham and Tyrone Green were the hosts’ other try-scorers, with Jarrod Evans converting two.

Bath responded with seven tries. Henry Arundell scored a brace with Tom Dunn, Ben Obano, Billy Sela, Archie Griffin, and Sam Underhill also on the scoresheet, while Ben Spencer added five conversions and Tom de Glanville one.

It took less than two minutes for Quins to open the scoring. Green powered through a gap between the two Bath locks, and when the ball was recycled, Will Evans raced away to score.

Within six minutes, Will Evans celebrated another with skilful passing, creating space for Cadan Murley on the left flank, and when the ball was recycled, a neat offload from Fin Baxter gave him an unopposed run-in.

Points Flow Chart

Bath win +16

Time in lead

39

Mins in lead

40

48%

% Of Game In Lead

49%

48%

Possession Last 10 min

52%

14

Points Last 10 min

7

Bath responded with a try from Dunn, who finished off a driving line-out with Spencer converting to leave the visitors trailing 12-7 at the end of a very lively first quarter.

On the half-hour, Will Evans completed his hat-trick. An up-and-under was seized upon by Will Porter, who dashed away before feeding Alex Dombrandt.

He was hauled down by an excellent cover tackle by Max Ojomoh, but the number eight got the scoring pass away to Will Evans.

However, Quins then suffered three blows in quick succession. First, they lost hooker Jack Walker for an HIA before Cunningham-South was sent to the sin bin for hindering a quick tap penalty, with Bath immediately capitalising when Sela crashed over for his first Premiership try.

Walker returned after passing his HIA with rival hooker Dunn departing for a similar assessment as the home side led 17-14 at the interval.

Dunn returned for the second half and in time to see Obano put his side into the lead within two minutes of the restart.

Two home defenders stood and watched as Arundell collected an up-and-under from Jarrod Evans to run 45 metres, and when the ball was recycled, Obano proved unstoppable.

Cunningham-South returned from the sin bin with his side having conceded 14 points in his absence, and their cause was not helped with replacement hooker George Turner being withdrawn after receiving lengthy attention from the medics.

This resulted in uncontested scrums, but this did not prevent Bath from continuing with their second-half ascendancy.

It came as no surprise when the visitors collected their bonus-point try when a superb long pass from Ojomoh provided Arundell with a simple task.

Griffin became the fourth Bath front-rower on the scoresheet before Underhill added a fifth as their second-half domination earned full reward, with a try from Kenningham securing Quins a bonus point.

There was still time for another walk-in for Arundell to complete a miserable second half for the hosts, but they had the final say with a last-minute try from Green.