Bath Take Revenge Over Leeds
By Glen Leat
April 24 2002
Any question about the passion of the Bath players for their team could easily be answered in the positive as Chris White blew the whistle on a match which saw Bath beat visitors Leeds 23-12. The home side leapt for joy and one could easily have been forgiven for thinking Bath had just won a trophy.
Skipper Dan Lyle took great delight in kicking
the last penalty of the game to touch to
seal the end of an enthralling match against
the team that started the "season of
misery" for Bath players and supporters
alike. Replacement scrum-half, Kevin Dalzell,
jumped on Lyle's back like a kid at a party
in celebration of both securing the vital
four league points and, as importantly, ensuring
that Leeds did not travel back up the motorway
with a losing bonus point in their pocket.
The game got off to a sizzling start as the
Bath backs hit the after-burners time and
time again. Wave upon wave of Bath pressure
bombarded the Leeds defence but, as has been
seen all season, there was no break through
and a stunned Recreation Ground watched as
the visitors took the lead after 15 minutes
with the first of four van Straaten penalties.
Leeds had hardly touched the ball prior to
this penalty and they must have been amazed
to see themselves take the lead.
The half-time score of 6-6 was misleading
because the game was open, though error strewn,
and exciting to watch. Can there ever have
been a half played on the Rec this year with
so much free-flowing play that did not result
in any tries? The Bath players were brimming
with excitement and this was almost matched
by the noisiest crowd of the season so far.
Gareth Cooper set the tone for the Bath style
of play by speeding things up and it was
great to once again see one of his trademark
pick-ups from the scrum and dash for the
line. His immediate replacement by Dalzell
after this run midway through the second
half saw the Bath machine run down a notch
and this slower pace is not one that suits
the Bath game. Rob Thirlby, Tom Voyce and
Simon Danielli, who had his best match so
far for Bath, were keen to run with the ball
and Iain Balshaw looked like a child who
had just run in to the lounge on Christmas
Day to find a pile of presents waiting for
him; his eyes were wide and wild and he was
determined to play his heart out and show
the world that he has not lost his touch.
Much of Balshaws' play may not have met his
intention but he added a spark that electrified
his colleagues, even if some of his drop
goal attempts were a little too ambitious.
Ronnie Regan was glad to back in the team
and demonstrated why his enthusiastic attitude
is often worth a place ahead of more gifted
footballers and Ollie Barkley suddenly looked
more assured in possession - some of his
out of hand kicking was sublime and his injury
time try was a joy to behold. In a season
where Bath tries have been at a premium,
to watch Simon Danielli score his own try
and then run at and beat the opposition before
off-loading the ball to Barkley, who appeared
to ghost past all the defenders and then
run in for his try, was sheer pleasure and
well worth the wait.
But things could have been very different
as seconds before Danielli grabbed the ball
to set up Barkley for his try, Dan Lyle had
been tackled and penalised for holding on
to the ball; the Leeds forwards pounced and
ran up the Bath narrow side towards the goal
line but a last minute tackle ensured they
made no further progress. A try for Leeds
at this stage would have taken the score
to 16-17 in their favour with the conversion
to come and probably heralded another loss
to Bath - such is the delicate balance of
rugby these days for teams who have to win
to survive!
This excellent result followed the news that
Bath stalwart, Matt Perry, has announced
that he will be staying with the club: "I am delighted to re-new my contract with
Bath, I am more determined, whatever happens
in the current situation, to see Bath Rugby
at the top of the Premiership again. I am
not going to leave - I want to stay and fight
through." Good on you Matt!
Let's look at how you voted on whether Bath
would win this match.
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Bath scorers
Tries: Danielli, Barkley
Cons: Barkley 2
Pens: Barkley 3
Drop Goal:
Bath
Rob Thirlby, Simon Danielli, Mike Tindall,
Olly Barkley, Tom Voyce, Iain Balshaw, Gareth
Cooper, Simon Emms, Mark Regan, David Barnes,
Steve Borthwick, Danny Grewcock, Mark Gabey,
James Scaysebrooke, Dan Lyle
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