Crisis , what crisis? Bath turn on style in Ireland
IT MIGHT not have been a smooth summer, but Bath will kick off their Premierhsip campaign next week on the back of three preseason wins.
With Mike Ford sacked at the end of last season, the West Country outfit had to start their pre-season without a director of rugby and even when it was confirmed Todd Blackadder would take over he arrived only two weeks ago.
But it didn’t seem to bother the players who kicked things off with a win at Yorkshire Carnegie and backed it up last week by beating the Scarlets in Llanelli.
Their latest win came at Donnybrook on Friday night as tries from Dave Attwood, Jeff Williams, Semesa Rokoduguni, Harry Davies and George Ford helped them dispatch Leinster.
Bath made a blistering start, launching an attack straight from the kick-off and, after making their way to the Leinster 22, were awarded a penalty.
Rhys Priestland did the honours and two minutes later another fine attack allowed lock Attwood to cruise over for the opening try.
Priestland converted from the most difficult of angles and then extended the lead to 13-0 as Leinster infringed at the breakdown in front of their own posts.
Leinster managed to regather their thoughts and got on the scoreboard when a strong scrum laid a perfect platform to send wing Adam Byrne over.
Joey Carbery was offtarget with the conversion but had another shot towards the end of the first quarter after captain Ross Molony touched down.
Back to within a point, Leo Cullen’s men were now playing with a greater degree of confidence, but Bath hit back with their second try of the opening half and what a try it was.
Despite being under pressure, a stunning pass from Anthony Watson found inside centre Dan Bowden who, in turn, offloaded out wide to send wing Jeff Williams in for the try.
Priestland converted to give Bath a deserved 20-12 lead at the break but it took them until the hour mark to score again as a raft of Bath replacements made a telling impact.
Rokoduguni, being put in space by replacement centre Rory Jennings, made it 25-12 but Bath had to finish the game with only 14 men on the pitch after the England international was sent to the bin for illegal handling of the ball.
Leinster made them pay straight away through Barry Daly and set up a tense finish.
Bath sealed the win as Harry Davies chipped over the defence and raced over the line before Ford concluded a fine performance with a length-of-the-field try late on.