Three Try Bath Snatch Defeat In Second Half

By Glen Leat
May 3 2004

Bath lost 25-22 at the Stoop after playing their finest rugby of the season in the first half and the worst rugby in the second. Even when the score was 18-22 in the 85th minute it looked safe for Bath but a Keogh try with the last play of the game gutted everyone wearing the blue, black and white.

Few "experts" gave Bath a hope in hell as they trotted on to a sun drenched Stoop, especially as both Catt and Barkley were on the bench, yet from the kick-off the forwards and backs played with a co-ordination and style that's been missing all season and within a few moments referee Dave Pearson awarded a penalty try after Quins' stand in winger, Matt Moore obstructed the Bath passing play. 

Throughout the first half Bath played exhibition rugby, exuding confidence and taking on Quins in all elements of the game. Even in defence they showed the sort of style and confidence we can only dream about. On one occasion Simon Danielli scooped the ball up behind his own posts but, instead of kicking for touch, he scooted to the opposite side of the pitch and made a dash for freedom: this was exhilarating and it looked as though Bath were finally going to show the TV audience that they are indeed a fine side.

A trade of penalties took the score to 6-10 when, after 18 minutes, Chris Malone made a break from a lineout on halfway, offloaded to Michael Lipman on his shoulder who passed on to Robbie Fleck who ran 30 yards to score. Fleck looked really powerful as he sidestepped the fullback and gave us all a glimpse of the player we have missed since his awful injury at Glawster. Bath were flying and the Londoners were stunned. Less than a quarter of the match gone and an unfancied Bath were 6-17 ahead.

Chris Malone came on to the pitch today and played a game completely contrary to all expectations: most pundits thought he would play a safe, kicking game but instead he played less flat than normal and made some really good attempts to break through the defensive line. He may have been stooped on each occasion, as most players are these days, but each time he drew in defenders and set up his colleagues for attacking positions. It was no co-incidence that this was the day (or first half I should really say) when Martyn Wood played the sort of game we have all been desperate to see since he signed from Wasps. No only was he quicker with the ball, and more accurate (most of the time) but he re-introduced the sniping run to his armoury thus keeping Quins on the back foot. A particular gem was his involvement in a line-out where he ran to the tail and picked up the ball from a very long throw - ingenious.

Bath gave away too many penalties in this game, and with a kicker like Paul Burke in the opposition you have to be disciplined, and Michael Lipman handed Quins an opportunity to get back in the game after 22 minutes when he body-checked Duffy. However for some strange reason Burke suddenly lost form in the second half after kicking five penalties in a row and had he not missed three easy kicks Bath would not have secured their valuable losing bonus point.

Just after the half-hour mark Bath scored their third try and suddenly thoughts of Twickenham started to loom large, just one more score would guarantee top spot. A Fea'unati drive was picked up by Wood, he fed Malone who looped the ball across the backs Catt-style and Matt Perry gratefully received the ball to trot in for a score. Once again the Bath attackers had stretched Harlequins and made them look very ordinary in defence. A missed conversion meant that at half-time the score was a remarkable 9-22 to Bath with all blue, black and white supporters looking forward to the second half for more of the same.

So what happened at half-time? Was there only enough fairy dust for 40 minutes' play, did the Bath backs frighten themselves with such a wonderful display that they felt like imposters and decided it was time to revert to type or did Harlequins change their game so much that they won the game rather than Bath losing it?

In truth the game was always going to even up in the second half once the Quins' coaching staff got hold of their charges but we could never have expected this Bath side to capitulate in such a fashion. If sport is about confidence, surely the Bath players had gained sufficient confidence in their own ability during the first half to see them through the second. The second half display by Bath was as poor as you'll see in a season. Harlequins completely reversed the possession and territory from the first half and gradually clawed their way back in to the game through three penalties. 

Mike Catt replaced Matt Perry with half and hour to go and added absolutely nothing to the game. His sweeping roll looked pedestrian and his clearance kicks were embarrassingly poor, this was the side of Catt many of us have found frustrating over the last decade and he will have done nothing to persuade the Bath management ( and many supporters) that he deserves a contract next season with this display. I'm not sure why Perry went off as he looked very solid at the back and similarly Chris Malone was replaced by Olly Barkley when the young Aussie was playing as well as he has all year.

The Bath defence looked strong throughout the (almost) continuous pounding of their line, even after Andy Beattie had been sin-binned for not rolling away at a tackle. But the line had to be breached eventually and the Quins' fans went wild (as no doubt did Wasps watching at home) as Keogh slipped a tired looking Danielli tackle to score at the death.

This was a devastating result for everyone linked to Bath Rugby. The game was in the bag and was only there to be lost at half-time, unfortunately our players took the losing option by the scruff of the neck and made it theirs!

A win next week against Glawster will see Bath through to Twickenham but after the first half display this shouldn't be necessary. They'll be a few heart murmurs at the Rec next week.

Finally despite the disappointment let's all raise a glass to Duncan Bell who probably shouldn't have been playing today but gritted his teeth and played through the pain barrier - thanks and well done mate. 

Let's have a look at the latest league table.

Harlequins:Duffy, Keogh, Greenwood, Deane, Moore, Burke, Bemand, Jones, Hayter, Dawson, Davison, Miall, Sanderson, Vos, Diprose. Replacements: C. Dott, Worsley, Gomez, Evans, Sheriff, Jewell, Dunne.

Bath: Perry, Human, Davey, Fleck, Danielli, Malone, Wood, Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Grewcock, Beattie, Lipman, Fea'unati. Replacements: Martens, Mears, Clarke, Barkley, Catt, Scaysbrook, Fidler.

Referee: D Pearson