Bath would have preferred to win last season’s Premiership final but maybe this is finally destined to be their season. This bonus-point victory over the reigning champions Northampton offered an early glimpse of their capabilities and first-half tries from Joe Cokanasiga, Ted Hill and Ben Spencer gave them a decent platform to lay down an early marker to their rivals.
If it helped that Bath kept 15 players on the field this time, unlike at Twickenham last June, they showed more than enough composure with and without the ball to suggest they will be tough nuts to crack this time around. A near faultless kicking display from Finn Russell, who supplied 13 points, was another bonus and even an improved second half from Northampton proved insufficient.
The duel of the two fly-halves, Russell and Fin Smith, was another fascinating subplot on an opening night which, for the most part, was an absorbing first weekend aperitif. Northampton were always tenacious, but it will take a while to absorb the loss of Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam, both now plying their trade in France.
Bath certainly had a physical edge at the gainline and their captain Spencer claimed the man-of-the-match award with another influential performance. There was also a promising club debut for young Guy Pepper, signed from Newcastle, who had a hand in Bath’s game-breaking fourth try scored by England centre Ollie Lawrence. By the time Bath scored a fifth try through a barging Jaco Coetzee just two minutes from the end, with Josh Kemeny in the sin-bin and Saints reduced to 14 players, it was very much one-way traffic.
It was a lovely, still evening at the Rec which, unlike certain other English stadiums, has not suddenly been reinvented as the Thatchers Thunderdome or the Avon Arena over the summer. Pre-season expectations, though, have not been as sky high in north-east Somerset for a while and the presence of the England head coach, Steve Borthwick, in the stands added to the sense of occasion.
“Let’s get this joint really pumping” urged the PA announcer and the home side duly obliged with barely five minutes gone. Good work from the forwards, with Miles Reid prominent on his 100th game for Bath, earned a useful advantage and the backs moved the ball right to put big Cokanasiga over for the season’s opening try.
Saints could also have done without Smith, last season’s league top-scorer, missing a straightforward early penalty and were relieved when Russell also failed to nail a decent opportunity at the other end. Soon enough, though, they were level at 7-7 after George Furbank cut a sharp line through the defence to put his new Australian teammate Kemeny over for a fine score.
It was the signal for the tempo of the game to increase by a couple of notches. Bath’s Will Butt might not be his side’s best-known centre but he looks in outstanding early season shape and played a big part in Bath’s second try, splitting the visiting cover to give Spencer the chance to put the galloping Hill over in front of the old clubhouse.
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Quick GuideBristol take bonus-point win
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Bristol see off Newcastle
Bristol kicked off their Gallagher Premiership season with a low-profile 24-3 win away at a much-improved Newcastle side on Friday night.
Away from the glamour tie at Rec, under grey overcast skies in the north-east, Newcastle and Bristol engaged in a scrum-ridden arm wrestle which opened up in the second half.
Newcastle, after a full summer of pre-season toughening up under director of rugby Steve Diamond, were a much sterner test than the side that capitulated to a record 85-14 defeat at Ashton Gate five months ago but still fell to their 22nd league defeat on the bounce.
A brace from Max Malins and tries from James Williams and Siva Naulago, with AJ MacGinty adding two conversions, delivered Bristol’s bonus point win at Kingston Park. Newcastle registered just three points from the boot of fly-half Brett Connon. PA Media
If the home fans enjoyed that one, they absolutely loved it when Bath opted against an easy penalty to kick for the corner and Spencer dummied his way over for his side’s third converted try. Northampton, however, could not convert a similar chance at the other end, enabling Bath to kick off the second half with a 21-10 advantage.
Saints needed to respond quickly and almost scored eight minutes after the interval when a flying James Ramm could not quite touch down a Smith cross-kick. It was a reminder of Northampton’s attacking threat that helped them amass 80 tries last season, but Bath also possess the firepower to close out big games.
If their fourth try was a touch scrappy, Lawrence picking up a loose ball to score without a hand laid on him, it was fair reward for Bath’s directness, organisation and industry. Northampton did slightly massage the final scoreline through a couple of Smith penalties but Coetzee’s try sparked a frustrated scuffle on the visiting try-line. There could even have been a last-minute sixth try for Butt which was ruled out for offside but, by then, it scarcely mattered. From Saints’ perspective, last season’s golden crown already sits slightly askew.
