George handles the pressure to reward his pack
GEORGE FORD held his nerve to kick a late penalty as Bath’s inspired front five helped secure the club’s first European win of the season.
With the scores locked at 16-16 after Leinster debutant Josh van der Flier’s 69thminute try, Bath fly half Ford stepped up to slot a difficult penalty from 40 metres out on the right-hand touchline after Leinster were penalised at a scrum. In a tightlyfought match, it was no more than Bath deserved, but they will be frustrated by their failure to put their opponents away earlier.
‘I thought we showed our inexperience’ said Bath head coach Mike Ford. ‘We let them back in. I’m pleased with the win against a desperate Leinster side full of internationals but we need to be smarter.’
Bath faced an organised and committed Leinster outfit in front of a record 13,480 crowd at the Recreation Ground but really should have finished off a number of chances in the first half, most set up by sharp breaks from inside centre Kyle Eastmond.
But while their attacking play failed to function, Bath’s front five can take enormous credit for a dominant display against a Leinster pack stocked full of international pedigree.
Their 23-year-old loose head prop Nick Auterac produced a powerhouse display and will surely have caught the eye of new England head coach Eddie Jones.
Auterac was a powerful presence all over the field alongside another young England prop, Henry Thomas, while Bath’s front five were all excellent.
‘Nick has the potential to be awesome,’ said Ford. ‘He is a modern day prop forward who can handle, tackle and is quick. In our fitness sessions in training, we put him in the backs. We have seven outstanding front-row players at Bath. Some of our scrummaging sessions are awesome to watch.’
Bath’s 62nd-minute penalty try, awarded by referee Jerome Garces after Leinster’s scrum buckled close to their own line, put the home side 16-9 ahead after three Jonny Sexton penalties had drawn the visitor’s level at 9-9.
Auterac received a huge ovation when he left the field on 66 minutes and Van der Flier crossed 11 minutes from time to set up a nerve-jangling finish before fly-half Ford settled proceedings.
‘When you get a kick like that at the end you just have to focus on the process,’ said George Ford.
‘There are lots of ways to win rugby matches.
‘We need to improve the attacking side of our game but it was important for us to get our first win in Europe.’