ORDER OF THE BATH

  Little DG and I completed our odyssey around all the Premiership Grounds with a visit to The Rec –and aesthetically we saved the best to last! Can there be a more beautiful place to watch this game we love? With the river on one side and the majestic Georgian sandstone towering above the pitch it really is a majestic arena. That said, the queues for the toilets & the bars were amongst the longest I’ve come across and boy were we glad it wasn’t raining!  

This April Fools’ day game saw the return of Saracens’ lead prankster Chris Ashton. Having served his overlong ban with good grace and dignity it was a great pleasure to see him back on the pitch where he belongs. It was also the battle of the 10’s, Ford v Farrell once again with Eddie Jones and his team watching from the side-lines.

The game started at frenetic pace with some good attacking rugby from Saracens before Watson showed how dangerous he can be with a break out from his own 22 through the entire Sarries’ defence and deep into the Sarries half where Farrell finally hauled him down. Bath threatened briefly before Taylor turned the ball over and a lovely kick from Bosch put the ball in touch in the Bath 22. The ball was overthrown and Fraser looked to be in but somehow Bath turned it over only for Cook to kick the ball cross field straight to Ashton who found Farrell and Bosch and finally Fraser went over in the corner. (Only 2 more tries now before that awful beard goes). Farrell slipped but kicked a tricky conversion to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.

Following a lengthy injury to Mafi, the first scrum of the match resulted in a Penalty to Sarries on a Bath put-in. Farrell did superbly well with an ambitious kick to extend the lead to 10-0. Sarries began to turn the screw with much of the play in the Bath half of the pitch and only profligate handling by Bosch saved Bath when Sarries had an overlap out wide. That well-known double act “Kritoje” were imperious at the line-out and Bath’s only response was for Ford to kick the ball back to the willing hands of the Saracens’ backs. The only area of concern was the scrum where Mako wasn’t having his best day. Of the 5 scrums in the first half, four resulted in a penalty (2 each – which probably sums up the amount of insight the officials had in to what was going on – your turn, our turn!) Alex Goode made several beautiful runs into the Bath half and was a constant threat. Billy was carrying like he does, Brits’ twinkle toes were sparkling, the whole Sarries’ machine was cranking up nicely.

Ashton was probably harshly adjudged to have pushed Aguilla which brought a round of jeers from the Bath fans and a penalty to Bath. Cue the pantomime villain – and Ashy was loving it. Shortly after, Aguilla departed the scene for good to be replaced by Priestland out of position, after Bath went for a 6:2 split on the substitutes’ bench. There was definite niggle between the 2 teams and several rounds of handbags started to ensue. Bosch went off for a head injury assessment to be replaced by Mike Ellery. Farrell’s long penalty attempt hit the posts. Brits broke into the Bath half then found Ashton with a long pass but he was hauled down short of the line. The Bath defence did their best to with stand drive after drive for the line. Some superb handling by Goode almost put Ellery over but he couldn’t get the ball down so in the end Farrell settled for 3 points from in front of the posts.

Tempers, tempo and temperature continued to rise as half time approached. Billy set off from the base of a scrum (finally a clean one) and lovely hands from most of the team took the ball deep into the Bath 22. Finally Alex Goode picked up a dodgy pass in front of him and flicked it out to Ellery who scored in the corner. Once again the post got in the way of Farrell’s kick but the lead was now 18-0. Barritt looked in trouble from a clash of heads (surely play should have been stopped?) and Itoje, worryingly, was limping. His knee was strapped heavily by the physio and we all sent up a little prayer that he was OK. As the clock headed for 40 minutes, Bath won a penalty at the scrum (Mako again) and Ford’s kick was greeted with huge cheers as it split the posts which probably just about summed the half up for the home team.

I’m afraid I missed the first few minutes of the 2^nd half due to the length of the loo queue but on my return Sarries were back in the Bath half and appeared to be carrying on the 2^nd half from where they had left off the first. Maro departed at half time (please let it be precautionary because already he’s become an important fixture) to be replaced by Hargreaves. A superb run by Alex Goode found Fraser on the wing. It looked easier to score – all he had to do was keep going – but somehow he allowed himself to be pushed into touch on the line. Perhaps he’s rather more attached to that beard than he lets on!

Rokoduguni broke from his own 22. He seemed to run into Goode as he chipped the ball ahead. Sarries made a meal of clearing it but they did in the end however our friendly TMO, Graham Hughes, intervened and deemed it was a penalty offence. This triggered a sustained period of attack by Bath but Sarries defence never looked like being breached and Bath found themselves being pushed further and further back towards half way. Bath won a penalty which enabled them to put the ball back into the danger area but again Sarries’ defence was solid. Cook received the rough end of Mr Garner’s tongue for what looked like a stamp. Then came the defining moment of the match (except I don’t really think it was because I think we would still have won the match against a full Bath team). A chip deep into Sarries’ 22 was caught in the air by Alex Goode. Unfortunately Watson was charging towards him, lost his balance trying to avoid Ashton and caught Goode in the air with his arm seeming to elevate Goodey’s legs above the horizontal. He landed on his shoulder and head. It looked nasty in real time and even worse in slow motion. Not a deliberate foul but careless and for a while it looked like Goodey had picked up a bad injury. Fortunately the magic sponge did its best and Goode was on his feet again. Meanwhile referee Greg Garner was studying the big screen while in deep conversation with his touch judge and presumably the TMO, the lovely Graham Hughes. Ominously his hand went to his pocket but didn’t come out as he summoned Watson and Bath captain Louw towards him. When the hand came out of the pocket the card was Red. The decision was not popular with the Bath faithful and their approbation appeared to be directed in equal quantities at Mr Garner and Chris Ashton (who was perfectly legally running across him). It wasn’t deliberate, it was clumsy but by the letter of the law it was a red card. (Didn’t we hear something similar regarding Ashton’s indiscretion?) Watson’s reaction as he left the field will not help any forthcoming disciplinary hearing.

Things didn’t improve for Bath when a few minutes later, Cook, who had already incurred the wrath of Mr Garner, was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Michael Rhodes. Cook was fortunate Rhodes landed on his back not his head otherwise it could well have been a second red. So Bath were now down to 13. This was where Sarries should have turned the screw but as is often the case they took their foot off the pedal instead. To start with it was fine, Sarries were awarded a couple of penalties in the Bath 22 but made a meal of getting the ball over the line. In the end, the predatory Ashton took matters into his own hands and picked up a pass from Wigglesworth to run over in the corner for the 3^rd try.  The Bath fans booed but Ashton was having a ball! Farrell missed the conversion but the lead was now 23-3. Mako was replaced by Barrington, Kelly Brown replaced the groggy Rhodes and De Kock replaced Wiggy. Another promising attack was stalled with a forward pass from Ashton which got the biggest cheer of the night from the frustrated home fans.

With less than a minute of the sin bin remaining, Ford sent a probing kick bouncing into the Sarries 22. De Kock made a hash of fielding it and eventually batted the ball into touch conceding a lineout. Bath, now restored to 14, secured the line out ball for once, set up the catch and drive and managed to get the ball over the line through Leroy Houston. To add insult to injury, Ford kicked a superb touchline conversion to give Bath a bit of hope at 10-23. Things didn’t improve and there were more silly mistakes from Saracens. A 4^th scrum penalty was conceded. Eventually a high cross kick for Rokoduguni bounced away from De Kock (who wasn’t having his best game) and it was left to Taylor to clear the danger. Bath lost Louw to a heavy challenge and with him went any hope of a Bath revival. Into the final 10 minutes and the arrival of Ellery, permanently for Bosch, seemed to inject some purpose into the attack. Finally Goode sent a lovely over the top pass to Fraser on the wing who slipped the ball inside to Ashton. Ashton completed his rehabilitation with a second and bonus point try in the corner. Farrell matched Ford with a super touch line conversion then departed for a well-earned rest.

That was the end of the scoring. Saracens had what they came for and all that was now required was a holding game until the clock went dead. Ransom, on for Farrell, passed a ball straight into touch when had it found Ellery it was a try. In the last play of the game, Kelly Brown picked up a nasty looking knee injury and hobbled off. All the subs having been used, the game finished 14 a side. Sarries had a penalty deep in the Bath 22 but over-ruling Barritt & De Kock, Goode took the pragmatic decision to end the match with nothing more to be gained for Saracens.

So our first visit to The Rec was an eventful one. I have to say the Bath fans sitting round us were lovely – witty, knowledgeable and good company. The rapid emptying of the ground before the final whistle was reminiscent of Franklins Gardens. Alex Goode deservedly got man of the match but there were also excellent performances from Billy Vunipola, Brits, “Kritoje”, Barritt, Fraser and of course Chris Ashton.

As we headed back towards the M4 along the A46, we drove through Cold Ashton. No, they’re wrong, today he was definitely “hot”.

BATH

Watson, Rokoduguni, Devoto, Joseph, Aguilla (Priestland), Ford, Cook (Homer), Catt (Lahiff), Webber (Dunn), Thomas (Wilson), Ewels (Houston), Attwood, Garvey, Louw (Mercer), Mafi (Denton)

SARACENS

Goode, Ashton, Bosch (Ellery), Barritt, Taylor, Farrell (Ransom), Wigglesworth (De Kock), M Vunipola (Barrington), Brits (Saunders), Du Plessis (Lamositele), Kruis, Itoje (Hargreaves), Rhodes (Brown), Fraser, B Vunipola

SCORERS:

Bath (10)

Try: Houston,  Conv: Ford;  Pen: Ford

Saracens (30)

Tries: Fraser, Ellery, Ashton (2);  Conv: Farrell (2); Pens: Farrell (2)

Attendance:  13,518

Referee:   Greg Garner