BORTHWICK LEFT TO RUE SQUAD ROTATION POLICY
GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP: TIGERS TAMED WITH EASE
LEICESTER 16 BATH 38
STEVE BORTHWICK’S decision to rest virtually all of Leicester’s frontline players – including Ben Youngs and George Ford – blew up in his face as Bath put the Tiger cubs to the sword. The new Leicester head coach paid a heavy price for making 13 changes as Stuart Hooper’s side took full advantage.
It was Borthwick’s second defeat in two games since leaving
England and his former boss
Eddie Jones was watching in the deserted stands.
Thumpingly effective though Will Stuart was up front, smart as Ben
Spencer was at scrum-half and sharp as Ruaridh
Mcconnochie was outside it was hard to judge them against these callow Tigers.
The home side actually made a lively start and opened up a 6-0 lead courtesy of two penalties from Ford’s stand-in Johnny Mcphillips.
When Bath got into their stride their power at close range was too much for Leicester. Prop Stuart twisted his way over for the opening try before hooker Tom Dunn touched down.
Mcconnochie splintered some weak Tigers backline defence for Bath’s third try. Lewis Boyce’s score gave Bath a 26-6 interval lead.
Beno Obano, Boyce’s replacement, continued the front row theme, plunging over the line.
Tom De Glanville joined him on the scoresheet and at 38-6 down Leicester were threatening to enter record defeat territory but Bath’s discipline dipped. Faletau was despatched to the sin-bin and the
Tigers salvaged two late consolation tries through Charlie Clare and Luke Wallace.
Leicester director of rugby Geordan Murphy insisted the changes were right, given the crowded fixture schedule.
He said:“we picked the side as a coaching group together and we were in agreement it was the side we wanted.
“Teams are going to go different ways and we thought the best thing for us to do was to rotate.”
LEICESTER: Tries: Clare, Wallace.
Pens: Mcphillips 2.
BATH: Tries: Stuart, Dunn, Mcconnochie, Boyce, Obano, De Glanville. Cons: Priestland 4.