Bath are just 80 minutes away from claiming their first domestic league title since 1995-96 after a stunning second-half turnaround propelled them to a 34-20 victory over Bristol in a pulsating Premiership semi-final at the Recreation Ground.
Trailing by seven at the break, Bath responded with a devastating surge, scoring four unanswered converted tries to book their place at Twickenham. The result capped off a powerful reminder of the club’s resurgence under their current leadership, and with confidence surging, they now look strong contenders to lift the trophy next weekend.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing. Bristol, who had won 11 of the previous 14 encounters between the sides, came out with energy and flair, and enjoyed the better of the first half. A penalty from AJ MacGinty followed by a superb counterattacking try finished by James Dun gave the visitors an early 10-0 lead. Even a yellow card for Kalaveti Ravouvou, who cynically disrupted a quick Bath tap, didn’t completely halt their momentum. MacGinty added another three points before half-time to make it 13-6.
Bath had looked rattled, struggling for fluidity and forced into a defensive scramble more than once. However, Bristol failed to translate their first-half dynamism into a commanding lead, which proved costly.
After the break, Bath flipped the script entirely. The comeback began almost immediately when a sloppy restart from Bristol gifted Bath territory. From the resulting platform, they launched a swift and clinical attack that ended with Ted Hill crashing over in the corner. Finn Russell, cool under pressure, added the extras from the touchline.
Momentum now firmly with the home side, it got worse for Bristol when a high bounce deceived Ravouvou, allowing Joe Cokanasiga to collect and score. Russell’s boot again did the job, nudging Bath ahead.
Bath’s power and depth began to tell as Bristol’s intensity waned. The hosts were helped by marginal refereeing decisions, including a forward pass call against Noah Heward that halted a dangerous Bears move. Seizing their chance, Bath struck again with Will Muir powering over in the corner. Not long after, with Bristol again reduced to 14, Max Ojomoh burst through for the decisive fourth try, all again converted by the nerveless Russell.
While Bristol never gave up and had looked vibrant early on, their inability to convert pressure into points left the door open. Injuries didn’t help either, notably the loss of scrum-half Harry Randall to a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Bath’s stacked squad, bolstered by their strength off the bench and composed game management, turned the screw with ruthless precision.
Russell did limp off late on, but the camp reported it as cramp rather than anything serious. The focus now turns to Twickenham, where Bath will attempt to cap off a brilliant season with the ultimate prize. Having topped the regular season standings by 11 points and now dismantled a spirited Bristol side, they appear perfectly primed for the final challenge.
