By Tom Harrington
After last weeks revenge win over reigning champions Northampton Saints, Johann van Graan’s side continue their winning streak, this time on the road in the east midlands.
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A misplaced box-kick from Leicester’s Jack van Poortvliet set up the perfect first attack for the visitors. Paired with a brilliantly delayed offload from Finn Russell set Bath right on their way but no fruition after tens of phases, as the ball seemed held up on Tiger’s tryline.
Bath going coast to coast inside ten minutes with blistering pace on the right side from Joe Cokanasiga mixed with a kick-chase from his opposite winger Will Muir on the far side, stopped by Anthony Watson.
A clever 50/22 by Jack van Poortvliet puts his side onto the front foot for the first time and after three attempts at mauling to the line come away with no points. On clearing the ball Joe Cokanasiga is hit will a flying elbow from Tiger’s centre Izaia Perese who is sent to the bin in the 16th minute for his actions. Still level at the Mattioli Woods.
Ollie Hassell-Collins thought he has opened the scoring but dropped the ball as he crossed over the line-he knew the rest of Mattioli Woods did not, leaving most in attendance today bewildered. A penalty soon after would soon ease the Tigers fans as Jamie Shilcock slots a three-pointer home from 22 metres. 3-0 Leicester.
However it would be Bath who drew first blood, specifically Will Muir escaping Leicester’s last defensive efforts. Finn Russell misses the conversion, 3-5.
Finn Russell and Bath continued to push looking for a second score considering the pressure they put Leicester under inside the first 25 minutes. Balls chipped through all over the pitch, Ollie Lawrence unfortunate with the bounce of the ball on many separate occasions.
After some poor kicking from Scotland’s fly-half as Russell misses touch on several occasions gifting Ollie Hassell-Collins and Jack van Poortvliet the opportunity straighten up and run hard into Bath’s defensive line, van Poortvliet tackled high much to Welford Roads dismay. It would eventually be the scrum-half who scores for Tigers, with a dummy pass he’s in under the posts. Shilcock adds the extras, 10-5 Leicester at halftime.
Five minutes into the second half, Will Muir was helped off the pitch clutching his right knee forcing Bath to play Orlando Bailey at Flanker. A spot of luck for the visitors as Ollie Lawrence knocked over referee Craig Maxwell-Keys resulting in a scrum and producing a well-executed move out onto the opposite wing where Tom de Glanville would bring the scores level.
Tiger’s two fresh props, Dan Cole and James Cronin, win their first scrum after a mixed day of scrummaging for both teams gifting the midlands side a chance to take the lead.
A monster 50/22 kick from Lawrence pins Tigers into their own five metres. Guy Pepper would soon knock the ball on from the resulting maul, however Anthony Watson would slice his clearance kick, offering an attacking chance which Bath would take. Pepper would go over beneath the posts; Russell added two more. 10-17 with ten minutes to go.
A change of kicker, Ben Spencer steps up to take a penalty after Russell has only converted one from four kicks. The number nine extends his sides lead by ten points with six minutes to go.
Leicester just about secure a losing bonus-point as substitute Dan Cole gets the Tiger’s second try of the game but the conversion is missed and Bath are in no rush to restart the game. Final score at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road, 15-20 Bath.
TIGERS:
TRIES: 2 (van Poortvliet 33, Cole 78)
CONVERSIONS: 1 (Shilcock 34)
PENALTIES: 1 (Shilcock 20)
YELLOW CARDS: 1 (Perese 16)
RED CARDS: 0
15.Freddie Steward 14.Anthony Watson 13.Izaia Perese 12.Dan Kelly 11.Ollie Hassell-Collins 10.Jamie Shillcock 9.Jack Van Poortvliet© 1.Nicky Smith 2.Charlie Clare 3.Joe Heyes 4.Harry Wells 5.George Martin 6.Hanro Liebenberg 7.Tommy Reffell 8.Olly Cracknell
Replacements: Finn Thoebald-Thomas, James Cronin, Dan Cole, Come Joussain, Kyle Hatherell, Ben Youngs, Ben Volavola, Mike Brown
BATH:
TRIES: 3 (Muir 21, de Glanville 46, Pepper 63)
CONVERSIONS: 1 (Russell 64)
PENALTIES: 1 (Spencer 74)
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
15.Tom de Glanville 14.Joe Cokanasiga 13.Ollie Lawrence 12.Will Butt 11.Will Muir 10.Finn Russell 9.Ben Spencer© 1.Beno Obano 2.Tom Dunn 3.Will Stuart 4.Quinn Roux 5.Ross Molony 6.Josh Bayliss 7.Guy Pepper 8.Alfie Barbeary
Replacements: Niall Annett, Francois Van Vyk, Vilikesa Sela, Charlie Ewels, Ted Hill, Tom Carr-Smith, Orlando Bailey, Jaco Coetzee
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: OLLIE LAWRENCE
Despite not getting on the scoresheet this week, the English centre assisted Will Muir’s try, making something of a dead ball almost 30 metres out. The 25-year-old was unlucky today not have a try of his own with many of his teammate’s kick and chip throughs not bouncing toward Lawrence. If Lawrence can keep his impressive form going, he is in real contention for a spot at centre for England at the autumn internationals starting in November.