The Anglo-Welsh cup has been a huge highlight of the season so far blooding some of the academy starlets who have shone on the big stage and they didn’t stage fright at the Liberty Stadium knowing a bonus point victory would guarantee a home semi final and only 160 minutes away from winning some silverware that has alluded Bath for so long!
Ross Batty was back for the first time this season and lining up for his 150th appearance, alongside other experienced campaigners Matt Banahan and James Phillips to lead and guide the young chargers on their way.
Their experience was crucial as the away team found themselves 7-0 down within eleven minutes thanks to a good kick from fly-half Price into the waiting arms of Dewi Cross who didn’t disappoint the home crowd. Bath hit back with a couple penalties of their own but were again pushed back the across try this time to Sam Cross leaving the away team needing to regather themselves.
Composure was key as scrum half Max Green’s quick thinking tapped and go in the Ospreys twenty two and was supported by the forwards to pick and go, with Levi Douglas able to canter over the try line, while Josh Lewis added the conversion giving Bath a one point lead heading into the half time interval.
Bath showed great maturity as they returned from the break and immediately dominated and were rewarded through Josh Bayliss taking advantage of a gap in the defence and Josh Lewis supporting helped the ball onto Matt Banahan who didn’t disappoint. James Hook the veteran Wales fly-half rolled back the years as he took the game by the scruff of the neck and held off the Bath defence as he took the Osprey back into the lead as the game entered the last quarter.
The away side were soon rewarded with their continued attacking prowess after a great chase from Darren Atkins and pushing back the Ospreys fullback behind the try line to give Bath the perfect platform with a five metre scrum. Taking the example of Atkins the forwards seized their moment and with consistent infringements from the Ospreys forwards the referee had no option but to award a penalty try. With the momentum behind them, Bath went for the jugular and were rewarded with their bonus point after the referee again was not happy with the Ospreys forwards and rewarded a penalty try.
Closing out the final moments Bath will now take on Northampton Saints in the semi final at the Rec and the details of the date and tickets will be announced later this week.
