Late Reckoning at the Rec......

I always feel that a trip to the Rec is one every rugby fan should make, albeit that tickets are extortionately expensive these days, even for seats on the “naughty step” areas in the uncovered and occasionally creaky Dyson Stand; the atmosphere is always good, there’s an old-fashioned feel to the place with beer and pasties in ready supply, and its central location in the lovely city of Bath affords a marvellous view of the Georgian buildings around the stadium. Even at 68 I’m not one of life’s Luddites and have always embraced change (but call me young at heart and I’ll come looking for you…..), although I hope that when Bath do embark on the long-mooted development of a “proper” stadium they’ll try to retain at least some of the Rec’s distinctive charm. T he evening’s pre-match drinks venue had been in the very plush surroundings of Bath Cricket Club, just a few minutes’ walk from the Rec and to which Sarries fans had been cordially invited to feed and water – I believe that the ground is used by Somerset CCC for some games, and Mrs Jonny, a true cricket-loving daughter of the White Rose, expressed a strong wish to visit again during the summer.  

Sarries’ squad for the game looked to be preparing for a highly physical encounter, with a formidable starting front row of Eroni Mawi, Jamie George and the France-bound Christian Judge, plus the fearsome Tom Willis at no. 8. 

Bath had a couple of Sarries-connected names in their ranks, with Matt Gallagher and a man many in North London still regard as one of their own, Ben Spencer, in their starting line-up.

The Bath line-up did not, perhaps thankfully from our perspective, feature the injured Finn Russell who has made a huge impact on both Bath and the Premiership during his first season in England and must surely, taking my red and black-tinted specs off for a moment, be in the running for Player of the Year.   Sarries fans had turned out in good numbers and with the wet weather forecast earlier in the week having not materialised, we were pleased to have been spared the drenching so often meted out to denizens of the Dyson.   

The pre-match build-up was enlivened by Ugo Monye, one of TNT's pundits for the evening, accidentally flattening one off the Bath ballboys in a mock tussle for a ball, only to be greeted – much to his mirth - by cries for a red card from the crowd in front of him.

The game got underway and it was evident that neither side wanted to make any early slip-ups  in an encounter so important to both clubs’ Top Four prospects; much use of made of kicking boots, with Daly prominent in the early exchanges. I do like to see a left-footer among the kicking options – Bath, obviously, are blessed in that regard with Ben Spencer while Sarries enjoy the sinistral skills of Elliott Daly.

Gonzalez made an early break which came to nothing, and the kicking match continued.

Against the grain of such a cautious opening spell, Sarries opened the scoring after 10 minutes when a Farrell chip found Cinti and then the ball was worked to Tompkins who in turn set up Parton to continue his scoring run by surging over the line for a fourth try in two games. Farrell failed to add the extras but at 0-5 Sarries had made a good start.

Gonzalez showed well again in chasing a Willis kick-through but the bounce of the ball eluded him andat  Bath managed to touch down in their own try zone.

The game continued in a relatively cautious vein, with two very good sides cancelling each other out to an extent and it was noticeable at this stage that Sarries, as reflected in their squad selection, were showing a great deal of the physicality - plus defensive discipline - of years gone by; Bath in the meantime were working hard to gain a toehold in the game, with their best opportunity so far coming from a penalty kicked to the corner and although well-worked from the line-out the ball was lost forward.

On 30 minutes, Itoje received a yellow card - after much checking and replays on the big screen from all angles – for an upright tackle on Barbeary that resulted in what looked at first like head to head contact, accompanied by howls of protest and predictable demands for a red card from the home fans; so long as Sarries could maintain discipline and calm for the rest of the half, it possibly wasn’t the worst time in a game to go a man down as Maro would be back more or less at the start of Act Two.  

Hard as Bath worked to take advantage of their extra man, Sarries held out superbly during a spell of pressure from the home side and in fact had two opportunities of their own.

The first was created by a rumbustious break forward from Mawi, followed by good work from Willis who nearly set up Gonzalez who was again thwarted by Bath’s defence while the second, in the dying moments of the half, garnered more reward when Segun drove forward, with Farrell delivering a flawless cross-field for rugby’s deadliest chemistry graduate to scamper over in the corner, Farrell converting from close to the touchline to leave Bath to trot down the tunnel at 0-12 and with plenty to think about.

Although not the prettiest game I’d seen this season, it was nonetheless an absorbing contest between two very, very, good sides; The yellow card aside, Sarries’ discipline and defensive set-up had been superb.

Sarries returned to the pitch, to be joined seconds later by Itoje, looking determined to stamp their authority on proceedings, and this regard Parton went very close to his fifth try in two outings when Earl found the young man who could just be the new Max Malins in space to hurtle the length of the Bath half, only to be stopped by th equally “rapid” Cokanasiga.

Bath then settled into the half, ratcheting up the pressure on a so far unyielding Sarries defence, although Segun managed to get us on our feet (again) with a sprint into Bath’s 22 before being stopped.

A side of Bath’s quality was always going to come back into the game and as they continued to ask questions with a clutch of penalties enabling them to work their way close to the Sarries line, and eventually something had to give – which it did as we approached the last quarter of the game when after Bath had set up camp just metres from Sarries’ line, the powerful Du Toit forced his way over and although the conversion was missed the home side were back in the game, the momentum with them and only a score behind at 5-12.

Bath continued to pound away at a well-organised Sarries rearguard, and within 5 minutes of Du Toit’s score the game was  level; a penalty was kicked to the corner and an unstoppable rolling maul was set up, from which Redpath got to the line and dotted down, Spencer converting to take the score level at 12-12, as score that at this juncture I would probably have settled for.  

The raucous home fans scented blood as their side pushed hard, and then harder, for another score, and as we entered the last ten minutes Sarries continued to hang on for dear life, and the pressure was finally eased when the ball was turned over.

It was then Sarries’ turn to apply some pressure of their own – and get visiting fans’ bums off  seats - when the endlessly energetic and highly mobile Dan made a characteristically fleet-footed break, chasing his own kick and forcing Bath to take the ball over their own try line. Could this be “ a moment”??

From the ensuing play, and with barely 3 minutes left, Sarries were awarded a penalty……right in front of the posts…..

Even though it was a simple toe-poke for Farrell I watched through my fingers as our captain gleefully planted the pill between the posts to take Sarries 12-15 ahead and with the proverbial tape in sight.

There was the small matter of the last couple of minutes to negotiate, though, and Bath gave us a few seconds of anxiety when they charged forward from the restart but possession was secured and in contrast to the previous week's dithering against Gloucester the ball was summarily booted into touch – cue much jumping and down with flags being wildly waved in our part of the ground. .

Although certainly not the most spectacular game of the season – Roti’s try being the only real moment of magic  - it was nonetheless a hugely enjoyable arm-wrestle.

Owen is clearly determined to finish this chapter of his Sarries career – I hope and believe he’ll be back for another – on a high and will drive his side relentlessly in the remaining fixtures; having seen something of the “old” Sarries a the Rec I’m pretty confident we can at the very least make it to Twickenham.

The after-match drinks and tapas tasted very, very, good……

MATCHDAY SQUADS:

Bath: Gallagher; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, Muir; Bailey, Spencer (c); Obano, Annett, Stuart, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary.

Replacements: Dunn, Du Toit, Griffin, Du Plessis, Bayliss, Schreuder, Redpath, Coetzee.

Sarries: Daly; Segun, Cinti, Tompkins, Parton; Farrell (c), Davies; Mawi, George, Judge, Itoje, Isiekwe, Gonzalez, Earl, Willis.

Replacements: Dan, M Vunipola, Riccioni, Tizard, B Vunipola, Knight, Van Zyl, Goode.

Referee: Luke Pearce