Storming second-half comeback in Durham seals first win double of BUCS Super Rugby season for in-form Bath

The University of Bath men’s 1st XV completed their first win double of the 2024-25 BUCS Super Rugby season as they recorded an impressive 41-27 victory at Durham.

Bath went into Wednesday’s match having played just once in the previous month due to last week’s fixture at Nottingham being snowed off and found themselves trailing 20-7 as the first half drew to a close, their points coming from a penalty try.

However, a Tyler Offiah (pictured) try converted by Raff Weston with the last kick of the half cut the deficit to six points and they forged ahead for the first time two minutes into the second period, Weston again converting Max Pearce’s touchdown.

They now had the momentum and stretched their advantage as Kepu Tuipulotu came off the bench to add two more tries to his season’s tally, Weston converting the first, before fellow replacement Oli Sedgwick also touched down.

Durham scored a late consolation try but Weston’s successful penalty two minutes from time ensured the final scoreline was almost an exact replica of the reverse fixture at the Team Bath Sports Training Village on the opening week of the season which Bath won 40-27.

Third-placed Bath, who are sponsored by Bath Building Society and Rengen, head into the Christmas break with a home double header as they welcome Cardiff to the STV on Wednesday 4th December (6.30pm) before entertaining league leaders Loughborough on Wednesday 11th December (5pm). Entry for both matches is free.

Line-ups

Durham 1st XV: 1 Oscar Stott, 2 Louis Inman, 3 Sam Graham, 4 Archie Clarke, 5 Billy Hipperson, 6 Harry Willard, 7 Jonny Smith, 8 Marcus Rhodes (c); 9 Freddie Charles, 10 Jack Vernum, 11 Keelan Farrell, 12 Ben Motamed, 13 Mitchell Lacey-Babalola, 14 Charlie Coe, 15 Boris Ames. Replacements: 16 Owen Boxall, 17 Leon Tahana, 18 James Bolton, 19 Finn Baker, 20 Osian Thomas, 21 Lochie Lawson, 22 Jack Harris, 23 Charlie Thompson.

University of Bath 1st XV: 1 Claudius Wheeler, 2 Max Pearce (c), 3 Alfie Griffin, 4 Max Mayor, 5 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 6 Harry Breeze, 7 Will Keylock, 8 George Doel; 9 Ieuan Davies, 10 Raff Weston, 11 Tom Hughes, 12 Will Roue, 13 James Short, 14 Tyler Offiah, 15 Freddy Rossigneux. Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Jacob Yates, 18 Henry Mountford, 19 Tom Hilton, 20 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, 21 Archie Friend, 22 Chris Streater, 23 Oli Sedgwick.