In a fiercely contested PREM Cup West Country derby at Kingsholm Stadium, a youthful Bath Rugby team were edged out 19-17 by Gloucester Rugby on Friday night.
Bath got off to a promising start when Sam Winters broke through multiple tackles before setting up Austin Emens for the opening try from the corner. Gloucester responded swiftly, with Wales international Josh Hathaway crossing for a try to level the scores. Ethan Staddon then powered over for Bath shortly after the 20-minute mark to regain the lead.
However, Gloucester struck twice before halftime through Kealan Freeman Price and Will Knight, taking a seven-point advantage into the break. The second half saw just one try, scored by Bath’s 19-year-old winger Tyler Offiah who finished expertly in the corner. Unfortunately for Bath, fly-half James Linegar missed a tough conversion and a late penalty attempt that could have swung the match in their favour.
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Our rugby correspondent Ben Baker reviews how the Bath players performed in this tightly fought contest:
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Austin Emens (15) – 7
Emens showed strength and determination, scoring the opening try with a powerful finish. Despite some inconsistent kicking in challenging conditions, his defensive efforts were strong.
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Tyler Offiah (14) – 6
Offiah’s first half was nervy, with some handling lapses and defensive misses. Yet, he proved his attacking threat with a well-taken second-half try.
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Charlie Griffin (13) – 6
Starting at centre for the first time, Griffin brought pace and power to the role. Some decisions to retain the ball rather than pass limited his impact.
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Will Butt (12) – 6
As captain, Butt displayed leadership with quick distribution and dynamic carries, setting the tempo and crucially supporting Offiah’s try.
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Sam Winters (11) – 6
Winters’ electric break set up Bath’s opening try. Defensively he was caught out once but was notable for strong chasing and ball retrieval early on.
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James Linegar (10) – 5
Linegar managed decent distribution and kicking but lacked authoritative command and lost his key duel with George Barton. His late missed penalty cost Bath dearly.
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Neil le Roux (9) – 5
The experienced scrum-half was lively around breakdowns but a critical handling error gifted Gloucester a try.
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Scott Kirk (1) – N/A
Kirk was forced off due to injury within the first 10 minutes, following a heavy tackle and failed head injury assessment.
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Jasper Spandler (2) – 6
Consistent at the lineout with only one error, Spandler was robust in rucks and uncommon for a front-rower, lasted the full 80 minutes.
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Kieran Verden (3) – 4
Verden faced a tough night in the scrum with penalties conceded but contributed positively at the breakdown.
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Will Jeanes (4) – 7
Jeanes impressed with strong ball carries and solid defense, forming a powerful presence for Bath’s pack.
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Harvey Cuckson (5) – 7
Dominant at lineouts, stealing three from Gloucester, and a hard hitter in rucks, Cuckson delivered arguably his best senior performance.
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Ethan Staddon (6) – 6
Staddon’s try was a highlight, and he worked diligently at breakdowns, though he was otherwise quiet on the ball.
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Thomson Cowan (7) – 6
Cowan added physicality with effective carrying and support work in rucks.
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George Timmins (8) – 7
Timmins was a star performer in the back row, winning penalties at breakdowns and providing strong ball carries.
Replacements added fresh legs and experience, with Ioan Emmanuel making a notable senior debut against an experienced All Black prop. Arthur Green also made a positive impact off the bench.
Despite the narrow defeat, several Bath players showed promise and resilience in challenging conditions, providing a solid foundation for future fixtures in the PREM Rugby Cup.