EARLY BATH LEAVES ALFIE IN A SWEAT

RACING boss Stuart Lancaster admitted the French side had been in touch with Owen Farrell about a move but Alfie Barbeary was the big news at the Rec.

Barbeary inspired Bath to the win but is sweating on a ban after being sent off – ahead of this week’s England Six Nations squad announcement.

The No.8 scored a try to help haul Bath back from 14 points down but was dismissed for two yellow cards with six minutes left.

Farrell is out of Test rugby for the moment and his name won’t be on England boss Steve Borthwick’s list.

But he is definitely on Racing’s shopping list with Lancaster admitting the club had spoken to the Saracens’ kingpin.

Lancaster said: “Obviously there have been conversations. He would be a great signing, who wouldn’t want a player like Owen Farrell? We’ll see how it plays out. I can have a wish list but it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, necessarily.”

Barbeary (above, holding the ball), 23, helped Bath make the Champions Cup knockouts for the first time since 2015, but his game was nearly over before it had really got started.

On six minutes he hit Racing full-back Max Spring with a high shot that looked like a red but he was only given 10 minutes in the cooler.

A second yellow was dished out for a forearm to the face of scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec and ref Andrea Piardi had nowhere else to go.

Barbeary barged over for Bath’s second score, Joe Cokanasiga scored a third and in-form Will Muir got the clincher before 14-man Bath held out with the French threatening.

Bath boss Johann van Graan said of Barbeary: “We rested him for Leicester and he has come back in phenomenal form.”