Bath Rugby were back in action this afternoon, for their first fixture since their defeat in the Premiership Final last June. The blue, black and whites took on an impressive Munster side, with the Irish province beaten by a narrow three point margin. The second half introduction of talisman Finn Russell and debutant Tyler Offiah proved critical, as Bath forged a second half comeback to win the pre-season fixture.
This ‘friendly’ match began with a sparring contest from the boot, with Munster fullback Patrick Campbell stubbing kicks into the back-field. Bath scrum half Louis Schreuder would return fire with the box kick, for an early areal assault. Munster were awarded the first penalty of the match and laid their intentions down early, with new signing Billy Burns kicking the men in red down to the touchline.
There was an extended wait for the line-out, as Bath hooker John Stewart received some medical attention after just four minutes of play. The front row was promptly replaced as he was feeling the effects of a heavy coming together with a Munster player, with Stewart replaced in the pack by new-coming hooker Jasper Spandler.
It was Munster who bagged the first tries of this new season at the Rec, with back row John Hodnett credited with the five pointer. The score was created at the back of a ruck, with Bath pinned back upon their 5m line. Halfback Ethan Coughlan was poised to attack, and sold the charging inside call from his centre Sean O’Brien. Instead, the pass was flung wide and flat along the Munster attacking side to Hodnett, who cruised through a gap. Munster’s new signing Billy Burns scored his first points for the Irish province, as the fly half nailed the following conversion.
Munster began to purr with their fast flowing attack, with Shay McCarthy cutting in off the left wing to break up the midfield with some searching lines. However, it would be his opposite man to get onto the score-board next, as Austin Emens’ name flashed up upon the Bath score-board upon his first start for the blue, black and whites. Emens would not score a simpler try in his career, with the plaudits going to Orlando Bailey’s inch-perfect 50-22 kick, and the quick thinking of replacement hooker Jasper Spandler to play a quick pass to Emens, who walked in to score out wide after 13 minutes.
A yellow card was then shown to Munster, with lock Gavin Coombes sent to the sin bin for a less than polite interaction with the referee. Bath then opted for the corner to take advantage of the extra man, with the following maul reaping the rewards across the try-line. Having previously set-up Bath’s first try from the touch-line, Spandler was on hand to shunt the mauling pack over the whitewash for the Somerset club’s second score of the afternoon.
The missed conversion from Bailey kept the Irish side within one point of Bath, with Munster re-taking a first half lead after 25 minutes. The move began at the back of a line-out, as a pass was shipped to Shay McCarthy, with the wing throwing a fake pump pass to throw the defensive line out of shape. McCarthy would then showcase his pace to skip around a tackle, before cruising in to score under the sticks. The conversion from Burns took Munster back into the lead.
Munster would add a third try before the break, with the efforts of a long series of phase play rewarded two minutes from half-time. With Bath again pinned back on their own try line, Munster changed tack from far-flung passes, and dug in their heels to grind out the final few yards. It would come down to hooker Diarmuid Barron to cross over the line, with the 26-year-old muscling his way over to extend Munster’s half-time lead. Burns added the extras off the tee, and Munster departed 21-12 to the good of the hosts.
HALF TIME: BATH RUGBY 12 – 21 MUNSTER RUGBY
Bath totally altered their team for the second half, with Johann van Graan making full use out of the unlimited replacements available in pre-season friendlies. The second half side featured an assortment of international talents, with the likes of Finn Russell and Joe Cokanasiga having an immediate impact upon the tempo of the game.
It was South African back row Jaco Coetzee who powered over from close range two minutes after the re-start, as Bath powered over to score upon their first second half visit to Munster’s red zone. Finn Russell slammed the ball into the post from close range, but the flying Scotsman saw the funny side and cracked a smile towards the travelling Munster fans.
Bath continued to ride their blue, black and white wave of momentum, with Tyler Offiah exploding onto the seen for a debut try. In an appearence that put the likes of Will Muir and Cokanasiga on notice, Offiah timed his supporting run to perfection, scorched the turf along the left touchline and glided around the covering Munster defenders to score. Offiah gave no man in a red shirt the chance to take him down, and capped off the try with a dive for the cameras. Russell was on the mark this time, and further extended Bath’s grasp on the match.
Munster’s Shay McCarthy then had a nasty coming together with Finn Russell, and Munster’s try-scorer suffered an injury in the process. After being pushed off his feet by the Scotsman who only had eyes for the ball, McCarthy immediately began favouring his hamstring, much to the concern of his coaching staff. The wing was able to keep up with the play in a limping run, but was promptly withdrawn from the match to save any further damage.
The physicality of the match then proved that it was only a ‘friendly’ in namesake. Bath lock Jacques du Plessis was lucky to stay on the pitch following his shoving match with a couple of fiery Munster forwards, with the collars grabbed and scragged right under the nose of referee Anthony Woodthorpe.
With the clock ticking down into the final two minutes, Munster rolled the dice with a kick to touch. The Irish side trundled the ball inches from the Bath try line, yet were unable to get the pressure down on the grass for a last-ditch score. A pile of blue, black and white shirts were underneath the ball as the pack surged forward, and the Rec roared with approval as the side cleared their lines.
BATH RUGBY: 24
TRIES: 4 (Emens 13′, Spandler 21′, Coetzee 42′, Offiah 47′)
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Bailey 13′, Russell 47′)
PENALTIES: 0
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
Starting XV: 1 Arthur Cordwell, 2 John Stewart, 3 Kieran Verden, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Ewan Richards, 7 Thompson Cowan, 8 Miles Reid (c), 9 Louis Schreuder, 10 Orlando Bailey, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 12 Will Butt, 13 James Short, 14 Austin Emens, 15 Ciaran Donoghue
Replacement forwards: Niall Annett, Jasper Spandler, Kepu Tuipulotu, Ioan Emanuel, Archie Stanley, Mikey Summerfield, Francois van Wyk, Charlie Ewels, Will Jeanes, Quinn Roux, Jaco Coetzee, Ted Hill, Arthur Green, Ethan Staddon
Replacement backs: Tom Carr-Smith, Ieuan Davies, Finn Russell, Louie Hennessey, Max Ojomoh, Joe Cokanasiga, Tom de Glanville, Luke Graham, Tyler Offiah, Jack Woods
MUNSTER RUGBY: 21
TRIES: 3 (Hodnett 7′, McCarthy 25′, Barron 38′)
CONVERSIONS: 3 (Burns 7′, 25′, 38′)
PENALTIES: 0
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 1 (Coombes 21′)
RED CARDS: 0
Starting XV: 15. Patrick Campbell 14. Liam Coombes 13. Tom Farrell 12. Seán O’Brien 11. Shay McCarthy; 10. Billy Burns, 9. Ethan Coughlan; 1. Jeremy Loughman, 2. Diarmuid Barron (C) 3. John Ryan; 4. Gavin Coombes, 5. Fineen Wycherley 6. Ruadhán Quinn 7. John Hodnett 8. Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements from: Scott Buckley, Max Clein, Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Ronan Foxe, Conor Ryan, Jack Daly, Alex Kendellen, Jack Oliver, Luca Cleary, Tony Butler, Bryan Fitzgerald, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Mike Haley.
5 TALKING POINTS: BATH 24 – 21 MUNSTER (PRE-SEASON FIXTURE)
1. Start as you mean to go on: Austin Emens and Ross Molony’s Bath starting XV debuts
Two Bath players enjoyed their first appearances in Johann van Graan’s starting XV, with lock Ross Molony and wing Austin Emens taking to the pitch from the get go. Molony relished the personal edge of his Irish opponents, as the born and bred Leinsterman took on his old rivals from Munster in the pre-season clash.
Molony was a solid worker around the park, as he gritted his teeth through the relentless phases of Munster attack. The second row also showcased his talents at the set-piece, with the blue, black and white faithful witnessing the Dubliner in full-flight, as he dominated the line-out battle. Emens had the honour of crossing over for Bath’s first try, following Orlando Bailey’s neatly executed 50-22 and the quick thinking of replacement hooker Josh Spandley to take the quick line-out throw to the wing.
2. On fire off the bench: Tyler Offiah marks his Bath debut with a scorching first try
Amongst the assortment of new faces in blue, black and white, Tyler Offiah left the biggest impact upon his new fans. The wing was a threat as soon as he crossed the whitewash for his second half inclusion, and took only seven minutes before becoming a Bath Rugby try-scorer. Offiah showcased his phenomenal pace along the touch-line for the try, but later in the match there were signs of an enticing partnership with his fly half Finn Russell.
There were a couple of occasions when Bath were unable to dent the Munster red-brick, with Russell looking across to the young speedster to run on to a cross-field kick. Aware of the young flyer’s danger in the back-field, the Scot sent a handful of kicks into Munster’s territory, with Offiah eagerly chasing down the loose balls. This could certainly be a tactic Bath fans see deployed throughout the upcoming Premiership season, as the son of rugby league hall of famer Martin Offiah finds his feet at the Rec.