Bath Rugby bounced back from their surprising defeat to Northampton Saints with a dramatic 33-26 win against Exeter Chiefs at the Recreation Ground on Saturday.
The match’s early momentum shifted when Exeter’s Campbell Ridl received a 20-minute red card for a dangerous tackle on Henry Arundell, leaving the Chiefs with 14 men. Bath capitalized on this advantage, scoring the fastest bonus point of the season. Tries from Beno Obano, Alfie Barbeary, Santi Carreras, and Ollie Lawrence helped Bath surge to a commanding 26-0 lead within the first 20 minutes. Exeter fought back, however, with precise kicking by Henry Slade and strong performances by their forwards, reducing the deficit to 12 points by halftime thanks to tries from Joseph Dweba and Olly Woodburn.
After the break, Bath’s Cameron Redpath looked poised to extend their lead with a quick try, but the TMO correctly disallowed it for blocking by Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi. This moment shifted the momentum as Exeter intensified their play, scoring two tries through Greg Fisilau and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso in the 76th minute to level the score.
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Despite a sluggish second half from the hosts, Bath demonstrated their championship pedigree in the final moments. A relentless 38-phase attack culminated with Arthur Green powering over for the match-winning try, securing a vital victory for the reigning champions.
Rugby writer Sam Jess reviews the individual performances from Bath Rugby’s squad:
15 Santi Carreras – 7
The Argentine brought much-needed energy to Bath’s attack, linking well with Louis Hennessey for a fullback try. Though underutilized as a first receiver, his impact was clear during his time on the field.
14 Henry Arundell – 5
Following a disappointing previous week, Arundell had a quiet match aside from the incident leading to the red card.
13 Ollie Lawrence – 6
Lawrence showed his lethal hands after a shaky performance against Northampton but struggled to break tackles and often found himself isolated. Still, he was alert enough to score a crucial try.
12 Cameron Redpath – 6
Returning to the centre, Redpath’s early combination play helped dismantle Exeter’s defense. Though unable to maintain intensity, his agility was on display when setting up a disallowed try.
11 Will Muir – 7
Making his first competitive appearance of the season, Muir overcame an early setback to contribute with dynamic runs and strong aerial skills, adding a new dimension to Bath’s wing play.
10 Finn Russell – 6
Russell was sharper and executed a simpler attacking plan effectively in the first half but faded in influence as the match progressed.
9 Ben Spencer (Captain) – 6
Spencer showed improved game management and nailed box kicks while scoring a well-taken try, anchoring Bath’s attack.
1 Beno Obano – 7
Obano maintained his impressive form near the try line, adding his fourth score of the season.
2 Tom Dunn – 7
Dunn was vocally influential and demonstrated a newfound attacking flair with a clever offload leading to a try, despite a minor penalty for obstruction.
3 Vilikesa Sela – 7
A solid performance, though he arguably lacks the bite of more experienced front-row players.
4 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi – 7
In his Bath debut, Opoku-Gyamfi was a physical force and fitted seamlessly into one of the league’s strongest forward packs.
5 Ross Molony – 7
Molony’s physicality and solid defense were crucial to Bath’s forward momentum.
6 Ted Hill – 7
Hill showed aggression with ball in hand but was less effective at the breakdown compared to last season.
7 Guy Pepper – 8
Pepper’s outstanding cover tackle and relentless energy made him one of Bath’s standout players, proving himself a world-class flanker.
8 Alfie Barbeary – 8
Barbeary excelled in defense and crashed over for an early try, though a penalty for hands in the ruck gave Exeter an easy way back into the game.
Replacements:
16 Kepu Tuipulotu – 7
Recovered well after a missed lineout.
17 Scott Kirk – 6
A few notable contributions but no major impact.
18 Thomas du Toit – 6
The Tank remains a quality player but hasn’t made the same impact off the bench as last season.
19 Quinn Roux – 6
Had some neat moments but lacked game-changing influence.
20 Sam Underhill – 5
Conceded a crucial penalty and failed to achieve the desired impact.
21 Tom Carr-Smith – N/A
22 Louie Hennessey – 7
Brief but effective cameo, setting up a try with pace and skill.
23 Arthur Green – 8
Delivered the match-winning try with strong carries and intelligent support play.