Watson turns on style as Bath survive late siege to seize top spot
BATH seized control of Pool 5 with a hard-fought win over French giants Toulon, thanks to a stunning first-half brace from Anthony Watson.
Todd Blackadder’s men move into top spot in the group standings and, with a home meeting against the Scarlets and a game Benetton in the next two rounds, they look in pole position to secure a home quarter-final.
This game was played at a Test match intensity. There was a furious pace to the contest punctuated by bone-shuddering hits.
Toulon are perhaps not the force they once were but any side that can name Ma’a Nonu, Samu Manoa and Facundo Isa among their ranks is never to be taken lightly.
Taulupe Faletau’s knee injury has been a major blow for Bath so Springbok flanker Francois Louw’s return to fitness was most welcome, with young England lock Charlie Ewels also back on board.
Having suffered a last-gasp 24-20 defeat at the Stade Felix Mayol last weekend, Bath came firing out of the blocks and they were 7-0 up with less than a minute on the clock. Explosive loosehead Beno Obano powering over from close-range.
Two Rhys Priestland penalties pushed them into a deserved 13-0 lead. They were cruising before Toulon conjured a try out of nothing, with Alby Mathewson scything through a yawning gap in the Bath lineout.
Watson then ran a lovely switch with Jonathan Joseph to
score his first try. A brace of penalties from Francois Trinh-Duc either side of that score kept the visitors in touch.
Watson was having quite the half and showcased his blistering pace once more with a stunning score just before the break. The England and Lions star pinned his ears back and left Josua Tuisova and Hugo Bonneval for dead on his way to the tryline.
This contest continued to ebb and flow, with Toulon striking next as Nonu weaved and stepped his way through the cover before Manoa eventually crashed over in the corner. Trinh-Duc missed the conversion but at 23-18, it was game on. Priestland and Trinh-Duc then swapped penalties to set up a frantic finale.
Bath, who emptied their bench in the final quarter, were forced to resist waves of Toulon attacks and, fittingly, defended a 38-phase spell to seal the win and send the Rec faithful into raptures.