Bath Rugby have ended a 29-year drought by winning the Premiership title in a thrilling 23-21 showdown against Leicester Tigers at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium on a bright Saturday afternoon.
Key tries from Thomas du Toit and Max Ojomoh, paired with Finn Russell’s impeccable kicking performance—including 13 crucial points and a decisive late penalty—secured Bath’s first Premiership championship since 1996. This victory completes a remarkable treble for Johann van Graan’s squad, who also won the Premiership Rugby Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup earlier this season, signaling the beginning of a new era of dominance for Bath Rugby.
Leicester Tigers fought hard until the final whistle. Their tries from Jack van Poortvliet, Solomone Kata, and Emeka Ilione kept the contest tightly poised, with Handré Pollard converting all three. However, a costly missed penalty by Pollard and two yellow cards issued to Julián Montoya and Dan Cole hampered Leicester’s efforts, ultimately causing them to fall just short.
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For Leicester, this final marks the end of an era, with notable departures including Dan Cole, Julián Montoya, Handré Pollard, Ben Youngs, and head coach Michael Cheika. Conversely, Bath Rugby’s squad remains largely intact, with 22 of the 23 players set to return next season, and only replacement hooker Niall Annett retiring.
The match kicked off with Pollard’s precise kick to the five-metre line setting up the first scoring opportunity. Jack van Poortvliet’s try and Pollard’s conversion gave Leicester an early lead, but Bath responded quickly with a penalty from Russell. Handling errors plagued Bath in the opening half, yet a strong carry from Beno Obano paved the way for du Toit to score, and Russell’s conversion put Bath ahead 10-7 by the 27th minute.
Shortly after, Montoya was sin-binned for a high tackle, allowing Bath to extend their lead to 13-7 with another penalty from Russell just before halftime.
In the second half, Bath’s dominance grew. Russell intercepted a pass from Pollard, charging almost the length of the field before setting up Ojomoh for a try under the posts. Despite a disallowed try from standout player Guy Pepper, Bath maintained control.
Leicester mounted a late surge with Kata and Ilione crossing in quick succession, but a controversial yellow card shown to Cole after a late tackle on Russell shifted momentum back to Bath. Russell’s penalty from this offense proved vital, giving Bath the breathing room needed to close out the match.
Bath’s victory brought sheer joy to their supporters and signals a bright future for the club, effectively ending Leicester’s hopes for a fairytale farewell for their veterans.
Final Scores: Bath Rugby 23 – Leicester Tigers 21
Bath Rugby starting XV: Tom de Glanville; Joe Cokanasiga, Max Ojomoh, Cameron Redpath, Will Muir; Finn Russell, Ben Spencer (c); Beno Obano, Tom Dunn, Thomas du Toit, Quinn Roux, Charlie Ewels, Ted Hill, Guy Pepper, Miles Reid.
Replacements: Niall Annett, Francois van Wyk, Will Stuart, Ross Molony, Josh Bayliss, Tom Carr-Smith, Ciaran Donoghue, Alfie Barbeary.
Leicester Tigers starting XV: Freddie Steward; Adam Radwan, Solomone Kata, Joseph Woodward, Ollie Hassell-Collins; Handré Pollard, Jack van Poortvliet; Nicky Smith, Julián Montoya (c), Joe Heyes, Cameron Henderson, Ollie Chessum, Hanro Liebenberg, Tommy Reffell, Olly Cracknell.
Replacements: Charlie Clare, James Cronin, Dan Cole, Matt Rogerson, Emeka Ilione, Ben Youngs, Ben Volavola, Izaia Perese.
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce, Adam Leal
TMO: Ian Tempest