Bath Rugby edged closer to the Gallagher Premiership playoffs with a nail-biting 24-22 victory over Leicester Tigers at the Recreation Ground on the final day of the regular season. The win guaranteed Bath a coveted home semi-final against Exeter Chiefs.
Leicester started strongly, taking an early lead thanks to former Bath player Orlando Bailey. Bath responded fiercely, powered by one of their standout performers and soon-to-be departing players, Thomas du Toit. The prop’s dominance in the scrum earned penalties and led to two early tries. Leicester kept pace with a penalty from James O’Connor, but Bath struck again with Joe Cokanasiga powering over for a try, albeit with missed conversions by Santi Carreras. Leicester leveled the first half with a try from Jack van Poortvliet, converted by O’Connor, leaving the teams tied at halftime.
The second half was tense, highlighted by du Toit completing his hat-trick with a dominant try and Carreras finally converting successfully. Leicester’s late surge included a last-minute try from George Pearson, but it wasn’t enough as Bath held on to secure their home advantage for the semi-finals.
READ MORE: Somerset Postcode Areas Where House Prices Are Soaring – Plus the Cheapest Town to Buy
READ MORE: Melanie Hall Disappearance and Murder Timeline: 30 Years On from Bath Nightclub to M5 Discovery
Rugby writers Sam Jess and John Evely break down the individual player performances:
15 Tom de Glanville – 7
Mixed performance from the fullback: a powerful hit early on but a costly late tackle. His crucial high-ball catch and cover tackle to force a turnover helped shift momentum in Bath’s favor.
14 Joe Cokanasiga – 7
Strong all-around showing, holding his width and powering over for Bath’s third try. His aerial skills shone despite difficult weather conditions.
13 Ollie Lawrence – 7
Solid defensively with key cover tackles but failed to make an impact offensively, making basic errors when in possession.
12 Max Ojomoh – 6
Limited ball time affected his influence. Delivered a smart pull-back pass that opened space for Cokanasiga’s try.
11 Henry Arundell – 6
Struggled to get involved offensively, was caught offside early, and had inconsistent performances under the high ball.
10 Santi Carreras – 6
Shifted from fullback to fly-half; missed two early conversions but managed some effective kicking and a well-timed assist for Cokanasiga’s try.
9 Ben Spencer – 8
Led well as captain, excelling in tactical kicking and providing quality delivery throughout. His kicking consistently pressured Leicester’s back three.
1 Beno Obano – 7
Commanded scrums early and maintained set-piece power throughout, impressing against a strong Leicester pack and enhancing his England summer prospects.
2 Kepueli Tuipulotu – 7
Steady debut in a pressure game, hitting vital lineouts and powering carries, challenging selection ahead of the semi-finals.
3 Thomas du Toit – 9
Stellar performance marking one of his final games at the Recreation Ground. His hat-trick of tries and scrum dominance was pivotal—a truly monumental contribution.
4 Ted Hill – 7
Instrumental in a solid lineout, with strong physical presence all over the pitch.
5 Charlie Ewels – 7
A defensive powerhouse, helping maintain lineout continuity and enforcing pressure across the field.
6 Josh Bayliss – 8
Relentless and athletic, his pace and aggression disrupted Leicester’s backline repeatedly.
7 Sam Underhill – 8
Returned to top form with powerful carries and breakdown work, including a crucial turnover that stifled Leicester’s momentum.
8 Alfie Barbeary – 7
Led the driving maul effectively and was physically dominant, though discipline issues at the breakdown cost a few penalties.
Replacements:
16 Dan Frost – 6
Did well enough to hold lineout stability.
17 Francois van Wyk – 6
Struggled in scrums initially but regained composure late in the match.
18 Vilikesa Sela – N/A
19 Ross Molony – 7
Injected fresh power in the second half scrums during Leicester’s pressure phases.
20 Ewan Richards – 6
Helped maintain the game’s tempo toward the finish.
21 Tom Carr-Smith – N/A
22 Cameron Redpath – N/A
23 Miles Reid – 7
Provided physicality in the scrum’s closing stages.
Bath’s gritty victory highlighted by Thomas du Toit’s outstanding hat-trick performance put them in strong stead for an intense playoff semi-final on home turf.