Bath Rugby’s 2025 came to a disappointing close as they were convincingly defeated 41-21 by Northampton Saints on Saturday at the Recreation Ground. Despite a competitive first half, Bath couldn’t hold off the Saints’ relentless attack after the break.
The match started energetically, with both teams scoring two tries in challenging freezing conditions. Tommy Freeman opened the scoring for Bath within five minutes. Bath responded firmly with powerful tries from Thomas du Toit and Tom Dunn. However, Northampton’s Archie McParland struck back quickly, keeping the match tight.
After the interval, Bath looked strong again as du Toit powered over for his second try. But Northampton, even while resting key players, dominated the remainder of the game with four unanswered tries. Henry Pollock scored twice, and Freeman notched a remarkable hat-trick, leaving Bath stunned and silent at the Rec.
Rugby writer Sam Jess offers a detailed breakdown of Bath Rugby’s player performances:
15 Tom de Glanville – 6
De Glanville showed commitment despite struggling in both offense and defense, including a worrying collision near the posts.
14 Joe Cokanasiga – 4
Cokanasiga was caught out of position frequently and missed several tackles, making for a tough outing.
13 Ollie Lawrence – 4
Returning from injury, Lawrence struggled with dropped passes and weak tackling, including a costly error that denied Bath a bonus point.
12 Max Ojomoh – N/A
Ojomoh had a quiet game and left the field after 30 minutes due to a calf injury.
11 Henry Arundell – 6
Arundell produced glimpses of promise with a strong linebreak but was guilty of lapses in ball security leading to opposition scores.
10 Finn Russell – 5
One of Russell’s weaker performances, he failed to marshal the attack or exert control during critical moments.
9 Ben Spencer – 6
On his 100th Premiership appearance, Spencer’s box-kicks caused problems for Northampton, but his connection with Russell was off, and he ran into blind alleys often.
1 Beno Obano – 6
Obano delivered powerful carries to build momentum but couldn’t translate that into points for Bath.
2 Tom Dunn – 6
Despite an early missed tackle that led to a try, Dunn rebounded strongly with powerful carries and controlled a 5m maul to score.
3 Thomas du Toit – 7
Du Toit’s brace reflected the standard Bath will miss when he leaves, showcasing his strength and finishing ability close to the line.
4 Quinn Roux – 6
Roux contributed physicality and creativity but was culpable for penalty giveaways that handed Northampton easy territory.
5 Ross Molony – 6
Molony held his ground strongly but was beaten defensively on key occasions, allowing opponents to capitalize.
6 Josh Bayliss – 5
Bayliss displayed grit with tackles but lacked the power needed, being held up multiple times.
7 Sam Underhill – 6
Underhill’s speed and effort were evident, including denying certain tries, though he conceded too many soft penalties.
8 Miles Reid – 5
Reid worked hard in rucks but suffered from poor discipline, conceding numerous penalties.
Replacements:
16 Dan Frost – 2
Frost’s impact was marred by a yellow card just 15 seconds after coming on, undermining Bath’s efforts.
17 Francois van Wyk – 6
Van Wyk showed physicality but spent considerable time involved in scrums and disputes.
18 Archie Griffin – N/A
Griffin failed to make the expected impact after entering the game.
19 Ted Hill – 5
Hill appeared sluggish and lacked influence in his minutes on the pitch.
20 Guy Pepper – 6
Pepper demonstrated strong desire but was frequently penalized.
21 Tom Carr-Smith – N/A
Carr-Smith’s contribution was limited.
22 Santi Carreras – 6
Carreras injected energy off the bench but couldn’t turn the tide.
23 Chris Harris – 5
Harris looked unsettled defensively and was out of position at critical moments.
Bath Rugby now face the challenge of regrouping after a match where individual errors and discipline issues cost them dearly against a determined Northampton Saints side.