VIDEO: Four-try Bath make winning start to 2024 with hard-earned BUCS Super Rugby home victory over Leeds Beckett
The University of Bath men’s 1st XV made a winning start to 2024 as they claimed a bonus-point victory over Leeds Beckett in their first BUCS Super Rugby match of the year.
Ted Johnson (pictured top), Tom Cowan, Jasper Spandler and Iwan Coyle all touched down for the hosts, sponsored by Bath Building Society, as they recorded a hard-earned 24-12 success at the Team Bath Sports Training Village.
Bath were missing a number of players who are preparing for the U20 Six Nations, including co-captain Ludo Kolade with Scotland, but showed good strength in depth to overcome well-drilled opposition.
It was particularly tight in the first half as Johnson’s early try and a touchdown from captain Cowan, both converted by Raff Weston, were responded to in kind by Leeds Beckett’s Aron Suggate and Louis Guthrie. Only a missed conversion separated the teams at half-time, Bath holding a narrow 14-12 lead.
Bath gave themselves breathing space with a Spandler try 10 minutes into the second half and secured the spoils late on with a bonus-point fourth try, scored by replacement Coyle.
Watch the tries here:
Next up for Bath, who are also supported by Rengen, are tough trips to top-four rivals Cardiff Met on Wednesday 31st January and Hartpury on Wednesday 7th February before they return to the Sports Training Village to face Swansea on Wednesday 14th February (all 6.30pm kick-offs).
Match stats
University of Bath starting XV: 1 Archie Stanley, 2 Jasper Spandler, 3 Billy Sela, 4 Josh Dingley, 5 Will Jeanes, 6 Mackenzie Graham, 7 Tom Cowan (c), 8 Ted Johnson; 9 Ioan Lewis, 10 Raff Weston, 11 Sam Mercer, 12 Will Roue, 13 James Short, 14 Rory Crum, 15 Iwan Price-Thomas. Replacements: 16 Max Pearce, 17 Claudius Wheeler, 18 Alfie Griffin, 19 Max Mayor, 20 Jack Bennett, 21 Iwan Coyle, 22 Angus Judkins, 23 Cassius Forshaw.
Tries: Johnson, Cowan, Spandler, Coyle.
Conversions: Weston 2.
Leeds Beckett starting XV: 1 Connor Hancock, 2 Madison Hunting, 3 Callum Hancock, 4 Louis Guthrie, 5 Aron Suggate, 6 Tom Mills, 7 Louie Kirkham, 8 Ollie Mullarkey; 9 Alex Davies, 10 Ben Parkin, 11 Conor Oresanya, 12 Dan Reed, 13 Matt Salisbury, 14 Matt Gribbon, 15 Jody Devine. Replacements: 16 Ben Bailey, 17 Matthew Casselden, 18 Charlie Keith, 19 Finn Warren-Lambert, 20 Caleb Kudjoe, 21 Toby Morley, 22 Archie Callaghan, 23 Jake Scott.
Tries: Suggate, Guthrie.
Conversions: Parkin.
