Captain’s hat-trick inspires brilliant Bath to nine-try win over Swansea as strong BUCS Super Rugby form continues
Captain Max Pearce (pictured) scored a hat-trick of tries as the University of Bath men’s 1st XV returned from their two-week BUCS Super Rugby break in style by beating Swansea 57-19 at the Team Bath Sports Training Village.
The hosts were without several players who have been representing Bath Rugby in the Premiership Rugby Cup but demonstrated their strength in depth by running in nine tries during an excellent squad performance.
Oli Sedgwick opened the scoring and hooker Pearce touched down twice either side of a Freddy Rossigneux try as Bath, helped by three Will Roue conversions, raced into a 26-0 lead.
Swansea scored a converted try just before half-time but Bath were back on the offensive after the break as Pearce completed his hat-trick. James Short, fresh from making his senior Bath Rugby debut, George Doel, Tom Hughes and Jacob Yates also went over, with replacement Raff Weston converting the three latter tries.
The visitors grabbed a couple of consolation tries late on but Bath were well worth a victory that keeps them within two points of league leaders Loughborough.
Next up for Bath, who are sponsored by Team Bath partners Bath Building Society and Rengen, is a trip to Nottingham on Wednesday 20th November (2pm kick-off).
Match stats
University of Bath starting XV: 1 Claudius Wheeler, 2 Max Pearce (c), 3 Alfie Griffin, 4 Max Mayor, 5 Tom Hilton, 6 Harry Breeze, 7 Will Keylock, 8 George Doel; 9 leuan Davies, 10 Will Roue, 11 Tom Hughes, 12 Kit Evans, 13 James Short, 14 Oli Sedgwick, 15 Freddy Rossigneux. Replacements: 16 Yujian Zou, 17 Jacob Yates, 18 Henry Mountford, 19 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 20 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, 21 Archie Friend, 22 Raff Weston, 23 James Pavey.
Tries: Sedgwick, Pearce 3, Rossigneux, Short, Doel, Hughes, Yates.
Conversions: Roue 3, Weston 3.
Swansea starting XV: 1 Tom Zoogan, 2 Will Austin, 3 Louis Fletcher, 4 Lewis Marsh, 5 Hugo Morley, 6 Gethin Howell, 7 Charlie Herdman, 8 Will Plessis; 9 Kai Inker, 10 Steff Jac Jones, 11 Joe Hill, 12 James Price, 13 Oscar Stewart (c), 14 Willis Wood, 15 Scott Delnevo. Replacements: 16 Finn Thomas, 17 Theo Malik, 18 Tom Mills, 19 Theo Curry, 20 Jake Roberts, 21 Jayden Grey, 22 Will Hammonds, 23 Harry Gimson.
Tries: Hill, Mills, penalty.
Conversions: Jones.
Picture credit: Bob Bradford.
