Six-try Bath pick up valuable bonus points during high-scoring BUCS Super Rugby derby defeat at Hartpury
The University of Bath men’s 1st XV played their part in an entertaining 14-try BUCS Super Rugby encounter against West Country rivals Hartpury on Wednesday.
Six of the tries went to the Bath Building Society-sponsored visitors who, despite once again being without several players on U20 Six Nations duty, showed plenty of attacking intent to pick up a couple of valuable bonus points.
However, it was the in-form hosts who built on a 29-17 half-time lead to record a 53-36 victory and extend their winning run to seven matches.
Rory Crum and Iwan Coyle (2) both touched down for Bath in the first half, with Raff Weston converting Coyle’s second try just before the interval to close the gap to 12 points.
No 8 Jack Bennett then went over twice during a breathless start to the second half, Weston converting both, but Hartpury responded with three tries of their own – adding to the four they’d scored in the first half – to extend their advantage.
Neo Ivanovic-Brown’s try on the hour mark kept Bath in contention but Hartpury scored again at the death to seal the victory.
Next up for Bath, who are also supported by Rengen, is their penultimate home match of the league season against Swansea on Wednesday 14th February. Kick-off is 6.30pm at the Team Bath Sports Training Village and admission is free.
Match stats
Hartpury starting XV: 1 Rhys Davies, 2 Will Goffey (c), 3 Oliver Minnis, 4 Daniel Cooke, 5 Carn Richards-Farr, 6 Sam Lewis, 7 Ellis Hart, 8 Matthew Hillary; 9 Rhys Price, 10 Keillen Cullen, 11 Matthew Ward, 12 Thomas Matthews, 13 Josiah Edwards-Giraud, 14 Iwan Pyrs-Jones, 15 Corbin Smith. Replacements: 16 Dominic Hey, 17 Thomas Hill, 18 Brandon Jewell, 19 Cameron Cobbett, 20 Naquan Smith, 21 Casey Williams, 22 Wilf McCarthy, 23 Iestyn Galton.
Tries: Hart (3), Richards-Farr, Hillary, C Smith, Ward (2).
Conversions: Cullen 5.
Penalty: Cullen.
University of Bath starting XV: 1 Archie Stanley, 2 Max Pearce, 3 Alfie Griffin, 4 Josh Dingley, 5 Will Jeanes, 6 Mackenzie Graham, 7 Tom Cowan (c), 8 Jack Bennett; 9 Ioan Lewis, 10 Raff Weston, 11 Sam Mercer, 12 Will Roue, 13 Cassius Forshaw, 14 Rory Crum, 15 Austin Emens. Replacements: 16 Yujian Zou, 17 Claudius Wheeler, 18 Jacob Yates, 19 Max Mayor, 20 Iwan Coyle, 21 Evan Jones, 22 Elis Horgan, 23 Neo Ivanovic-Brown.
Tries: Crum, Coyle (2), Bennett (2), Ivanovic-Brown.
Conversions: Weston 3.
