VIDEO: Six-try Bath follow up Anniversary Game success with impressive BUCS Super Rugby derby victory over Hartpury
The University of Bath men’s 1st XV built on last week’s Anniversary Game success as they recorded an impressive six-try victory over Hartpury in a BUCS Super Rugby West Country derby.
Forwards Jasper Spandler, Ted Johnson, Tom Cowan, Billy Sela and Zak Giannini all touched down for the Bath Building Society-sponsored hosts in a 38-21 win, while co-captain Ludo Kolade bagged their bonus-point fourth try.
Bath named 12 of the 15 that started last week’s Anniversary Game victory over Cardiff Met. Lock Will Jeanes was the only change in the pack, while fly-half Sam Harris and centre Louie Hennessey – who represented England and Wales respectively at this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa – came in for their first appearances of the season.
The match was played at Chippenham RFC’s Allington Fields ground and Bath got off to a perfect start as hooker Spandler and No 8 Johnson went over for tries in the opening 10 minutes, Harris adding both conversions to establish a 14-0 lead.
Co-captain Cowan stretched Bath’s advantage from a driving maul before Hartpury had the final word in the half, cutting the gap to 19-7 with a converted try.
Any hopes the visitors might have had of a comeback were dashed within five minutes of the restart, though, as Kolade went over for Bath’s bonus-point fourth try and prop Sela also touched down. Harris converted the latter to increase the lead to 31-7.
Hartpury, who had started the day second in the table, scored two more converted tries of their own but in between those came a touchdown from replacement prop Giannini as Bath’s pack underlined their dominance. Raff Weston added the extras.
Next up for Bath, who are also supported by Team Bath sponsors Rengen, is a trip to Swansea on Wednesday 1st November (6.30pm kick-off).
Match stats
University of Bath starting XV: 1 Scott Kirk, 2 Jasper Spandler, 3 Billy Sela, 4 Will Jeanes, 5 Josh Dingley, 6 Mackenzie Graham, 7 Tom Cowan (cc), 8 Ted Johnson; 9 Elis Horgan, 10 Sam Harris, 11 Byron Lloyd-Gilmour, 12 Ludo Kolade (cc), 13 Louie Hennessey, 14 Iwan Price-Thomas, 15 Austin Emens. Replacements: 16 Max Pearce, 17 Archie Stanley, 18 Zak Giannini, 19 Eddie Erskine, 20 Lachlan McGrigor, 21 Ieuan Davies, 22 Raff Weston, 23 Will Roue.
Tries: Spandler, Johnson, Cowan, Kolade, Sela, Giannini.
Conversions: Harris 3, Weston.
Hartpury starting XV: 1 Rhys Davies, 2 Will Goffey, 3 Brandon Jewell, 4 Daniel Cooke, 5 Cameron Cobbett, 6 Naquan Smith, 7 Scott Davies (cc), 8 Tom Worts; 9 Owen Randell, 10 Hugo Douglas-Ventosa, 11 Oliver Holliday, 12 Wilf McCarthy (cc), 13 Josiah Edwards-Giraud, 14 Matthew Ward, 15 Corbin Smith. Replacements: 16 Casey Williams, 17 Tyler Harvey, 18 George Perry, 19 Carn Richards-Farr, 20 Liam Le Roux, 21 JJ Williams, 22 Iestyn Galton, 23 Keillen Cullen.
Referee: Phil Russell.
Assistant referees: Ben Simpson, Fred Spong.
