Exeter 14 Bath 48
Bath Rugby’s long wait for silverware is finally over. After years of near misses, including last season’s Premiership final, the trophy cabinet at the famous Recreation Ground can finally dust off the cobwebs following their 48-14 success over Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership Rugby Cup final.
In a powerful display at Sandy Park, Bath delivered when it mattered most, showing resilience and determination to secure their first trophy since the 2007-08 season, when they defeated Worcester Warriors to lift the European Challenge Cup.
For a club who were serial winners, dominating the domestic scene between the 80s and 90s, the wait has been far too long for those die-hard supporters who regularly pack into the Roman city.
During that time, the Chiefs have themselves grown into one of English rugby’s elite forces. Two Premiership titles, three Premiership Rugby cups, plus a European crown have seen them ruled supreme.
But whilst Bath appear on the rise again, the Chiefs look anything but the team who have set the tone during that period.
Competitive for 40 minutes in this showpiece occasion, it was Bath who battered them into submission during a powerful second half showing.
Tries from Tom Carr-Smith, Joe Cokanasiga, Thomas du Toit, Ewan Richards and a brace from Tom Dunn were the highlights for Andy Robinson’s side, whose remaining points came courtesy of the boot of the excellent Ciaran Donoghue at fly-half.
In reply, the Chiefs countered with scores from Christ Tshiunza and Scott Sio, both converted by Josh Hodge, but that was scant reward on an afternoon when they were distinctly second best in all departments.
Having gambled their season on trying to winning the competition, utilising a first-choice squad for much of the campaign, the chips sadly did not come up trumps for the Devonians.
Match details
Scoring sequence: Tshiunza try (5-0), Hodge con (7-0), Carr-Smith try (7-5), Donoghue con (7-7), Cokanasiga try (7-12), Donoghue con (7-14), Sio try (12-14), Hodge con (14-14), Donoghue pen (14-17), du Toit try (14-22), Donoghue con (14-24), Dunn try (14-29), Donoghue con (14-31), Richards try (14-36), Dunn con (14-41), Donoghue con (14-43), Schreuder try (14-48)
Exeter Chiefs: T Wyatt (W Haydon-Wood 9); P Brown-Bampoe, J Hawkins, T Tua (W Rigg 61), J Hodge; H Skinner, S Townsend (T Cairns 50); S Sio (K Blose 57), J Yeandle (c, L Pearson 67), J Iosefa-Scott (M Street 57); F Molina (D Frost 60), C Tshiunza; E Roots (R Capstick 29), J Vermeulen (F Molina 63-77), G Fisilau.
Yellow Card: Yeandle
Bath Rugby: A Emens; J Cokanasiga (M Ojomoh 30), C Redpath, W Butt, R McConnochie; C Donoghue, T Carr-Smith (L Schreuder 66); A Cordwell (B Obano 40), J Spandler (T Dunn 15-27, 40), K Verden (T du Toit 40); W Jeanes (M Reid 50), E Richards (c, M Reid 46-50); A Green (G Pepper 40), E Staddon, A Barbeary. (J Coetzee 55).
Referee: S Cox
Attendance: 11,182
