Bath off to Twickenham after doing 'talking on the pitch'

BATH booked their return ticket to the Allianz Stadium Twickenham for another crack at the Gallagher Premiership final after running in four second half tries in a fever-pitch 34-20 victory over Bristol on Friday night.

- John Evely

The hosts, who were beaten 25-21 by Northampton Saints in last season’s final, spent an anxious first half trying to quell the challenge of their nearest neighbours, whose unique sense of adventure lit up their play-off semi-final as they brought the emotional intensity they have been promising all week in the build-up, with director of rugby Pat Lam and proud Bristolian prop Ellis Genge throwing grenades in the press, with the latter expressing his “hate” for Bath.

For 40 minutes, the Bears had Bath rocked, going in 13-6 in front at the break. It could have been, and really needed to have been, more, with another Bristolian, James Dun, touching down the only try of the first half.

But as has been the case on so many occasions this season, Bath found another gear in the second half and used it to roll right over Bristol in the third quarter, scoring tries through Ted Hill, Joe Cokanasiga, Will Muir and Max Ojomoh, with fly-half Finn Russell finishing with 14 points from the kicking tee before limping off in the closing stages to provide an element of worry.

A late try from Benhard Janse van Rensburg was the peak of a strong finish from the Bears, but Bath managed to hold up Genge and Harry Thacker over the line to halt the attempted comeback and set up a tilt at the treble, having already won the Premiership Rugby Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.