Bath’s bonus point victory keeps title race alive

THE title race will go down to next week’s final round after Bath scored a stunning bonus point win away at faltering leaders Exeter 34-21.

Austin Hay got Bath off to a flyer, burrowing over from close range for Will Partington to convert. Olly White’s try and Sam Morley’s extras leveled things for the home side but it sparked a purple patch for Bath’s Blue and Gold.

Ed Rimmer, Ethan Hutt and Will Partington all crossed to secure the bonus point before half time and with Partington kicking seven points they led 27-7.

A converted Rory McMeikan score breathed life into Exeter but James Hadfield’s try snuffed out any hope of a comeback with Matt Johnson’s try proving worthless as Exeter failed to bag a single bonus point.

Hartpury are the only other side along with Bath who can topple Exeter after a hardfought 30-24 win over Cardiff

Met at Cyncoed. Defence was on top with Nathan Chamberlain taking 20 minutes to open the scoring for Pury with a penalty. A converted try for Belgian international Ervin Muric followed but Harvey Scott reduced arrears for Met to trail 10-5 at half-time.

Luke Northmore’s try levelled the game and were it not for Met missing five kicks they’d have led; an inaccuracy Hartpury duly punished. A Jack Johnson try plus Robbie Smith’s brace and seven further points from Chamberlain’s boot put Pury 20 points up.

A late Met surge that saw George Gladding and Jack Wright tries finally converted by Harry Johnston but it was not enough to deny Hartpury all five points and a title lifeline with a game in hand. Leeds Beckett’s impressive run continued with a gnarly13-7 win over Durham.

Chester Duff scored Beckett’s only try in a miserly first-half that saw Conor Lloyd convert and crucially add two penalties. It took 66 minutes for Durham to get on the scoreboard. Paddy McDuell added the extras to Luke Chadwick’s score to make for a tense finish but Beckett held out to go sixth. Nottingham Trent kept survival hopes alive with an extraordinary 43-41 win over Northumbria at Lady Bay. Trent hadn’t won since November but Northumbria had no answer to their free scoring rugby. Will Sutton registered a penalty and two tries to pave the way for touchdowns from Harry Clempson, Cecil MacCarthy, Alex Goble, Harry Graham and four conversions for Trent lead 43-17.

Northumbria’s tries from Josh Rudling, Jasper McGuire and George Williams to that point had seemed an afterthought until Jacob Wrafter’s yellow inspired Thomas Galbraith, George Bordill and Michael Walton to almost clinch an epic comeback – but Josh Bragman’s errant boot meant they fell short.

Cardiff bolstered their playoff chances with a 26-24 win over

Loughborough who are now four points adrift of their vanquishers.

Cardiff did all their scoring in the first half through Huw Roberts, James Jennings, George Thomas(2) and three James Davies conversions with Austin Wallis’ try the only Loughborough offering.

Sam Garvey, Max Hill and Jamie Cox crossed in the second half but Josh Lewis missed a conversion to hand Cardiff a famous win.