Today in Sports
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket
  • DMCA
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket
No Result
View All Result
Today in Sports
No Result
View All Result

Bath’s second-half revival carries them past Bristol and into Premiership final | Premiership

June 6, 2025
in Rugby
0
Home Rugby
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


You might also like

Vern Cotter ahead of semi-final matchup against Crusaders

Rugby commentators in awe as English wing somehow scores ‘sensational’ try

Geno Smith Wants ‘Explosive’ Offense During 2025 Season

Bath’s oval-ball custodians have spent years trying – and failing – to construct a team to match the striking nature of their home city. Now, finally, they are within 80 minutes of claiming their first domestic league title since 1995-96 after a storming second-half revival put paid to a gallant Bristol side who had led by seven points at half-time.

If the outcome was still theoretically up in the air at the interval there was not a shred of doubt by the hour mark, Bath launching a blistering fusillade that yielded four converted tries without reply and underlined their status as short-priced favourites to lift the Premiership trophy at Twickenham next Saturday. “This team is tough to beat,” confirmed their head coach, Johann van Graan. “Bristol asked some questions but effort-wise I couldn’t be prouder. That is what it takes to get to Twickenham.”

The final margin was slightly harsh on a Bears team who played a full part in a stonking contest that, once again, ticked pretty much every box from an entertainment perspective. Bristol were thrilling to watch in the first half but never quite managed to build the kind of scoreboard pressure that might have caused a famous upset, eventually disappearing beneath a quartet of third-quarter tries from Ted Hill, Joe Cokanasiga, Will Muir and Max Ojomoh, all converted by a nerveless Finn Russell.

The British & Irish Lion did limp off towards the end but Bath’s management insisted he was primarily suffering from cramp. Van Graan, though, was more direct regarding some of the pre-match remarks made by director of rugby Pat Lam, who referenced Bath’s more expensively assembled squad and advised his wife not to attend because of the probability of her being soaked if she sat out in the famously exposed – not to mention pricey – open stand at the Rec. “Our team certainly did their talking on the pitch,” retorted Van Graan. “We certainly got a lot of motivation from Bristol. It was brilliant all the commentary we got from the opposition. We didn’t say a word and the scoreboard speaks for itself.”

It was always destined to be a passion filled evening on the banks of the River Avon and a fast and furious game matched the febrile atmosphere. Bristol had won 11 of the previous 14 matches between the clubs and it was the Bears who attacked with most relish in perfect dry conditions. Fly-half AJ McGinty

slotted the game’s first points after Guy Pepper was slightly too enthusiastic at the breakdown and a shaken Bath found themselves 10 points down when a spectacular long-range counterattack launched by Kalaveti Ravouvou and some deft forward interplay ended with the second row James Dun galloping over by the posts.

Dun’s father Andy was once a Bristol stalwart and the whole crackling occasion felt deeply personal, with more than simple bragging rights at stake. It was definitely not helpful to the Bears’ cause, then, when Ravouvou was shown a yellow card for trying to stop Bath taking a quick tap and cost his side a further three points in the process.

Finn Russell was nerveless as he converted all four tries for Bath. Photograph: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK/Shutterstock

Even with 14 men, though, Bristol kept on coming. Bath’s defence were pulled this way and that, the point of attack constantly shifting. Only a desperate rearguard action prevented the Bears from scoring another belting multi-phase try and a botched lineout drill five metres out then allowed Bath to escape again.

When Bristol do flick the turbo switch they look irresistible but games of top-level rugby are not definitively settled inside the first 40 minutes, particularly at this venue. Bath’s strength in depth has frequently been their trump card this season so it was doubly worrying for the Bears when the effervescent Harry Randall was led away with a damaged shoulder and replaced by Kieran Marmion.

skip past newsletter promotion

The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week’s action reviewed

Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

after newsletter promotion

A penalty just before the interval from MacGinty, though, extended Bristol’s advantage to 13-6 and caused a slight hush to fall around the ground. Losing in the final is one thing but going down at home to Bristol in a massive semi-final? The onus was on Bath’s familiar matchwinners to come up with the antidote to the onrushing grizzly Bears for whom Viliame Mata, Steven Luatua and Benhard Janse van Rensburg were all exerting their usual influence.

And, sure enough, in the first 19 minutes after the restart four servings of much-needed relief duly materialised. First the visitors messed up the restart, conceded a soft penalty and gave Bath the platform from which to launch a purposeful attack which ended with Hill scoring in the left corner. Russell’s wide-angled conversion was a further bonus and there was even better to come, a horrible bounce eluding Ravouvou and allowing Cokanasiga to strike.

Now the tide was turning and some tight refereeing calls were also going Bath’s way. A pass by Noah Heward was adjudged fractionally forward and, once again, the home side were instantly energised. Muir crashed over in the left corner to extend the lead further and, within five minutes with Bristol again down to 14 players, Ojomoh inflicted further hefty damage. Even when sorely tested this stacked Bath squad, having already topped the regular season table by 11 points, tend to come up with a resounding answer.



Source link

Tags: BathsBristolcarriesfinalPremiershiprevivalSecondhalf
Share30Tweet19

Recommended For You

Vern Cotter ahead of semi-final matchup against Crusaders

by TODAY IN SPORTS
June 7, 2025
0
Vern Cotter ahead of semi-final matchup against Crusaders

Just when you thought the Blues’ race might be run, the defending champions come up with a one-point victory, 20-19, in a thrilling Super Rugby Pacific qualifying final...

Read more

Rugby commentators in awe as English wing somehow scores ‘sensational’ try

by TODAY IN SPORTS
June 7, 2025
0
Rugby commentators in awe as English wing somehow scores ‘sensational’ try

The two-cap England wing dived over for a superb score in Leicester's Premiership semi-final against Sale Sharks17:00, 07 Jun 2025Updated 17:00, 07 Jun 2025Leicester's Adam Radwan dives over...

Read more

Geno Smith Wants ‘Explosive’ Offense During 2025 Season

by TODAY IN SPORTS
June 6, 2025
0
Geno Smith Wants ‘Explosive’ Offense During 2025 Season

The Las Vegas Raiders have seemingly answered their problem at quarterback as they landed Geno Smith earlier this offseason. With the Seattle Seahawks pivoting to a modest rebuild,...

Read more

Ollie Streeter and Joe Davis on England U20s’ World Championship defence

by TODAY IN SPORTS
June 6, 2025
0
Ollie Streeter and Joe Davis on England U20s’ World Championship defence

England‘s U20s will head to Italy later this month for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship, drawn in a challenging pool alongside Scotland, Australia and South Africa.   With a blend...

Read more

The ‘big question mark’ with Super Rugby Pacific’s Team of the Year

by TODAY IN SPORTS
June 6, 2025
0
The ‘big question mark’ with Super Rugby Pacific’s Team of the Year

Former Wallabies Cameron Shepherd and Tim Horan have both left Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii out of their Australian Super Rugby Pacific Teams of the Year, just days after the code-hopper...

Read more
Next Post
Ranking: The NBA stars with the worst winning percentages ever

Ranking: The NBA stars with the worst winning percentages ever

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related News

Why Chael Sonnen is baffled by Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov odds

Why Chael Sonnen is baffled by Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov odds

December 4, 2024
Why Roberto De Zerbi won’t “swimsuit” Liverpool – and the weak point to “exploit” – Liverpool FC

Why Roberto De Zerbi won’t “swimsuit” Liverpool – and the weak point to “exploit” – Liverpool FC

March 29, 2024
Tiger Woods’ Unsure US Open Future After Failing to Make Minimize at Pinehurst

Tiger Woods’ Unsure US Open Future After Failing to Make Minimize at Pinehurst

June 15, 2024

Browse by Category

  • Athletics
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Cricket
  • Football
  • Golf
  • MMA
  • NBA
  • NFL
  • Racing
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
Today in Sports

Get the Latest Sports News and Updates on TodayInSports.net. Soccer News, Basketball News, Baseball News, Golf News, Boxing News and More!

CATEGORIES

  • Athletics
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Cricket
  • Football
  • Golf
  • MMA
  • NBA
  • NFL
  • Racing
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Tennis

Recent News

  • UFC 316 results, live streaming updates | Merab vs. O’Malley 2 ‘Prelims’
  • Vern Cotter ahead of semi-final matchup against Crusaders
  • Fiorentina’s red-hot striker Moise Kean not keen on Manchester United move – Man United News And Transfer News
  • Contact us
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • DMCA
  • Get the Latest Sports News and Updates on TodayInSports.net.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2024 Today in Sports.
Today in Sports is not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket

Copyright © 2024 Today in Sports.
Today in Sports is not responsible for the content of external sites.