Bath Rugby clinched another bonus-point victory by defeating a depleted Harlequins team 48-15 at The Rec. Although their performance lacked intensity at times, Bath’s power and skill proved too much for their opponents.
The hosts opened the scoring early, with Santi Carreras intercepting a pass from Jarrod Evans and sprinting 60 meters to score. Carreras went on to score twice more in the first half, joined by Tom Carr-Smith’s try, giving Bath a strong start. Harlequins, though undermanned and with little to play for, responded through Bryn Bradley who recorded his first Premiership try.
Despite a somewhat casual first half from Bath, marked by dropped balls and missed opportunities, they gradually found their rhythm. Harlequins capitalized on some Bath errors, but the hosts controlled the game with their dynamic offloading and physicality.
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In the second half, Bath’s forwards asserted themselves with a rolling maul, enabling Tom Dunn to score following a Harlequins offside penalty. Though Bath conceded a try to Kieran Treadwell after an interception, they quickly answered back. Ewan Richards crossed, showcasing Bath’s power game, and Carreras, now at fly-half, orchestrated effective wide attacks.
Bath’s bench contributed significantly as the game progressed, with Josh Bayliss and Guy Pepper supporting key tries. Bernard van der Linde also added a late score, although one of his tries was disallowed by the TMO due to a prior foul. Ultimately, Bath secured the bonus point with an emphatic performance despite periods of scrappy play.
The victory helps Bath maintain pressure on league leaders Northampton as they continue their campaign. While not at their best, Bath’s resilience and bench strength ensured a decisive win over Harlequins, who remain in a rebuilding phase themselves.