Five-try Bath more than play their part in entertaining BUCS Super Rugby South West derby against newly-crowned champions Exeter
The University of Bath men’s 1st XV scored five tries during an entertaining last home game of the 2023-24 BUCS Super Rugby season against newly-crowned champions Exeter.
On a night when the visitors were presented with the league trophy, the Bath Building Society-sponsored hosts looked set to spoil the party as they raced into a 14-0 lead thanks to two well-worked tries from captain Elis Horgan and Sam Mercer (pictured), both converted by Iwan Price-Thomas.
Exeter hit back to lead 19-14 at half-time and grabbed a bonus-point try just after the restart before Eddie Erskine forced his way over from close-range to score for Bath, with Price-Thomas’s conversion cutting the gap to 26-21.
The visitors went on to score two more converted tries but Bath responded with touchdowns of their own both times, through in-form winger Mercer and replacement hooker Jasper Spandler, to secure a well-earned bonus point.
Watch the Bath tries here:
Bath, who are also supported by Rengen, conclude their league campaign on Wednesday 13th March with a trip across the Severn Bridge to Cardiff (6pm kick-off).
Match stats
University of Bath starting XV: 1 Archie Stanley, 2 Max Pearce, 3 Alfie Griffin, 4 Josh Dingley, 5 Eddie Erskine, 6 Max Mayor, 7 Iwan Coyle, 8 Evan Jones; 9 Elis Horgan (c), 10 Raff Weston, 11 Sam Mercer, 12 Alex Clayton, 13 Rory Crum, 14 Gus Stapleton, 15 Iwan Price-Thomas. Replacements: 16 Jasper Spandler, 17 Claudius Wheeler, 18 Jacob Yates, 19 Jack Williams, 20 Tom Simm, 21 Ioan Lewis, 22 Oli Sedgwick, 23 Ed Shepherdson.
Tries: Horgan, Mercer 2, Erskine, Spandler.
Conversions: Price-Thomas 3.
Exeter starting XV: 1 Chris Freeman, 2 Louie Gulley, 3 Archie Owlett, 4 Milo Hallam, 5 Oscar Beckerleg, 6 Lucas Dorrell (c), 7 Jack Forsythe, 8 Seb Driscoll; 9 Jake Murray, 10 Luca Mignot, 11 Kian Gentry, 12 Chester Ribbons, 13 Charlie McCaig, 14 Benjy Joseland, 15 Hugo Ellerby. Replacements: 16 Josh MacAndrew, 17 Owain Watts, 18 Archie Alexander, 19 Seth Findlay, 20 Finn Worley-Brady, 21 Ben Potter, 22 Ben Coen, 23 Dylan Power.
Tries: Gentry 2, MacAndrew 2, Hallam, Driscoll.
Conversions: McCaig 5.
Penalties: McCaig.
