It is often easy to dismiss a coach’s post-match pride after a heavy defeat as mere cliché, especially when the final scoreline reads 50-28. However, on Sunday, Bath Rugby’s coaching staff had strong reasons to be pleased with their young squad’s spirited display against Sale Sharks at the CorpAcq Stadium.
From the outset, the strength of Sale’s team was clear. With the likes of Courtney Lawes - arguably one of the finest English blindside flankers in the Gallagher Premiership - alongside England internationals Joe Carpenter, Tom Roebuck, Joe Marchant, and Alex Lozowski, the Sharks fielded a formidable side. Bath’s head of rugby, Johann van Graan, meanwhile, continued to approach the PREM Rugby Cup as an opportunity to develop emerging talent.
Despite the gulf in experience, the first-half performance, particularly from Bath’s forwards, demonstrated that their squad depth is impressive and their academy system robust. By half-time, the score was a close 17-14 in favour of Sale, underlining Bath’s competitiveness, even against a star-studded opposition. Notably, Bath crossed the try line twice through Kepu Tuipulotu and Charlie Griffin, illustrating their attacking threat.
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Sale’s backline eventually asserted dominance in the second half, scoring seven tries overall. Joe Carpenter earned the player of the match accolade with a hat-trick, supported by tries from Roebuck, Tye Raymont, youngster Xavier Roe on his scrum-half debut, Nathan Jibulu, and Alfie Longstaff. Bath found themselves under significant pressure in the third quarter of the match.
Nevertheless, Bath finished strongly, with Jasper Spandler and Tom Carr-Smith registering late tries, securing a valuable bonus point from the outing.
Mark Lilley, Bath’s academy coach overseeing the side during the PREM Rugby Cup as part of his own development, expressed satisfaction with the effort shown. He said, “I am really chuffed with the effort at the end there to come away with that four-try bonus point. We know how important that can be in this competition.”
Highlighting the forwards’ performance-particularly loosehead prop Scott Kirk, hooker Tuipulotu, blindside flanker Jack Bennett, and number eight Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi-Lilley added, “I am massively, massively proud. These lads will never take a backward step, and they really put themselves out there in that first 40 minutes.”
Against Sale’s renowned physicality, having big players like 22-stone Italian international Opoku-Gyamfi made a significant difference. The 20-year-old, who had the rare honour of representing Italy before making his senior Bath debut, played energetically at number eight until leaving the field with a head injury in the 32nd minute when Bath led 14-10. Lilley praised his contribution: “I think Enoch has worked really hard, both physically and on his game, and I thought he did some great stuff. He’s obviously a massive threat with the ball in hand; he had some good offloads, and I just thought he had a very good game.”
While much attention was on Sale’s recently signed former England captain Lawes making his debut at blindside flanker, it was Bath’s Jack Bennett who stood out. The 21-year-old spent the summer playing in Australia’s Shute Shield with West Harbour Pirates, gaining valuable match sharpness. Lilley explained, “With Jack, it has been about accumulating some match minutes for him. So he went over to Australia, had some good exposure out there, and he’s managed to put a run of games together and is match fit. I thought today, you look at his lineout work and some of his breakdown work; I thought he had a really good game.”
Many players from this group will now have a period of rest as Bath prepare for two upcoming friendlies against Bedford Blues and Glasgow Warriors. These matches will allow some first-team regulars to gain much-needed game time before the Premiership season kicks off on 25 September at Harlequins. If this performance is an indicator, several of these promising players will be strong contenders to secure places in Bath’s matchday squad at The Stoop.