Loughborough put on the style to pull plug on Bath

LOUGHBOROUGH celebrated Christmas early on Wednesday with a handsome victory 35-24 over Bath.

The manner in which they dispatched the West Countrymen would have been pleasing for coach Gerrard Mullen who has watched his stuttering side struggle for consistency.

Loughborough have won five and lost five but on their day can turn anyone over. Tom Ffitch, Quinten Koster, Alex Glashan and Charlie Kingham scored the tries with Ffitch adding three conversions and three penalties. Levi Davis, George Frampton, Jack Burroughs and George Wotton salvaged a try bonus point for Bath.

For Bath it halts a three match unbeaten run that’s seen them put some order to their faltering season. Lying sixth they have work to do if they’re going to challenge for silverware.

This season has shown a refreshing disregard to form with

Cardiff Met and Leeds Beckett coming to the fore.

Last year both could be found in the nether regions of the table with Beckett totally winless. Now Beckett are fourth and chasing pedigree side Exeter and entertainers Northumbria. Their forward power is undeniable but their skill out wide also must be applauded.

Cardiff Met are second with the same number of wins as Exeter but two bonus points lighter. Their defence is mighty, their thirst for work unquenchable and in Luke Northmore and Alex Dombrandt they have gamebreakers. Captain Tom Morgan’s mighty boot has been a pillar of reliability and they carry a true air of togetherness. Nottingham Trent have found the going tough in their debut year. Neil Fowke will be drilling into his team the importance of consistency as they search for that elusive first win. Injury has hampered the men in pink but still they know they must perform better first to cope and then flourish in this league.

Durham are yet to put together a complete performance. Led by the impressive Justin Clegg, they come to play with an attractive, high tempo offload game that oppositions struggle to contain but have lacked the ability to put teams away. It feels unjust to see them in eighth but they must be more ruthless.

And what of the champions? It’s been a very modest title defence thus far as

Hartpury have struggled and are lying seventh. The conflicting styles between BUCS and Championship rugby could be identified as a problematic factor but the College, steeped in rugby success, expect more.

Northumbria have lit up the league with a brand of rugby that is thrilling. They have the enthralling attitude of ‘we don’t care how many you score, we’ll score more’ with that mantra coming unstuck only in an epic 53-50 away loss to leaders Exeter. Will Muir and George Wacokecoke have been their star performers.

Exeter have lived up to their billing as title favourites and carry threats across the park. Established partnerships have driven them relentlessly forward.

Unusually but fruitfully they’ve fashioned two front row hat tricks from Josh Pieters and George Gosling which embodies the team’s insistence on every man putting their hand up when it counts.

The league returns on January 17.