A Guy Pepper second-half try was enough for Bath Rugby to secure successive Gallagher Premiership victories with a 15-20 success at Leicester Tigers.
The old rivalry did not disappoint, and Ollie Hassell-Collins crossed the whitewash early for the Tigers before dropping the ball. Bath capitalised and winger Will Muir gave last year’s finalists a 21st-minute lead as they looked to control the match.
However, the usually reliable Finn Russell made a kicking mistake, allowing Jack van Poortvliet to pull his side into a 10-5 lead at half-time.
Bath took control in the second half and despite losing the influential Muir to injury, Tom de Glanville and Pepper tries sealed them a second victory in as many games.
James Cronin pulled a try back for Leicester in the closing moments, and fearing a comeback from the hosts, Russell gladly kicked for full-time rather than pressing for a fourth-try bonus point.
“We couldn’t ask for much more,” said Bath outside centre Ollie Lawrence. “Today wasn’t pretty at times, a bit similar to last week (against Northampton Saints).
“To come to a place like this and get that win, it takes a proper shift from the whole 23. We knew the game would go down to the wire, it’s a win on the road and we’re happy with it.”
A buoyant Bath have now ground out wins against two in-form sides in the Gallagher Premiership. They host Bristol Bears next weekend, while Leicester Tigers head to bottom-placed Newcastle Falcons.
Talking Point – Bath cement title credentials by grinding out win
Bath Rugby head coach Johann van Graan urged his side to stay in the game against Leicester Tigers as they showed character for the second week running in the Gallagher Premiership.
Any hangover from losing last year’s final is not apparent in Van Graan’s side, with consecutive wins against Northampton Saints and now Leicester. In both victories, Bath spent periods of the game on the back foot and had to overcome difficulties.
The game was finely balanced when Bath lost winger Will Muir to injury, but the visitors showed enough character to pull through.
Player of the match – Ollie Lawrence
The influential outside centre pulled Bath up the pitch at difficult moments in the match. It was his driving spirit which gave his side the impetus for two second-half tries and an away victory.
With Finn Russell having difficulties with the boot, Lawrence provided the determination and power to create key moments with the ball.
Player Ratings
Leicester Tigers: Steward 7, Watson 6, Perese 6, Kelly 6, Hassell-Collins 6, Shillcock 7, Van Poortvliet 7, Smith 6, Clare 6, Heyes 7, Wells 6, Martin 6, Liebenberg 7, Reffell 7, Cracknell 7.
Replacements: Theobald-Thomas 6, Cronin 6, Cole 7, Joussain 6, Hatherell 6, Youngs 6, Volavola 6, Brown 6
Bath Rugby: De Glanville 7, Cokanasiga 6, Lawrence 8, Butt 7, Muir 7, Russell 6, Spencer 7, Obano 7, Dunn 6, Stuart 7, Roux 7, Molony 6, Bayliss 7, Pepper 7, Barbeary 6
Replacements: Annett 6, Van Wyk 6, Sela 6, Ewels 6, Hill 7, Carr-Smith 7, Bailey 6, Coetzee 6
Match Highlights
20 – HASSELL-COLLINS DROPS OVER TRY-LINE: Some quick passing for Leicester breaks through the visitors’ defence and Hassell-Collins is over the whitewash. However, he fails to ground the ball and drops the ball over the try-line.
20 – PENALTY! LEICESTER TIGERS (SHILLCOCK) 3-0 BATH RUGBY: Leicester kick themselves ahead through a penalty which is dispatched by Shillcock.
25 – TRY! LEICESTER TIGERS 3-5 BATH RUGBY (MUIR): Bath hit on the counter-attack and the ball is quickly played outside to Lawrence, who finds Muir to charge over the whitewash. Russell misses the conversion.
33 – TRY! LEICESTER TIGERS (VAN POORTVLIET) 10-5 BATH RUGBY: The usually reliable Finn Russell fails to find touch and as the Bath defence is in disarray at the breakdown, Van Poortvliet crosses under the posts. The conversion is good, to give Leicester a three-point lead.
46 – TRY! LEICESTER TIGERS 10-10 BATH RUGBY (DE GLANVILLE): A Bath scrum results in some quick passing from one side of the pitch to the other and De Glanville is alone out wide to cross the whitewash. Russell slices the conversion wide.
63 – TRY! LEICESTER TIGERS 10-18 BATH RUGBY (PEPPER): Bath eventually make their pressure tell with two pick-and-goes, which results in Pepper crossing the whitewash under a tackle. Russell kicks this conversion from under the posts.
78 – TRY! LEICESTER TIGERS (COLE) 15-20 BATH RUGBY: The Tigers kick to touch before a succession of drives eventually sees Cole power his way amid a host of bodies. The conversion is missed.
Key Stats
Bath gained 450 metres with the ball compared to Leicester’s 386, and had 12 clean breaks compared to nine.Bath won 91 rucks, compared to the 52 of Leicester Tigers.
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