Defending Gallagher Premiership champions Bath Rugby delivered an exhilarating comeback to triumph 47-31 over Harlequins in Round One of the 2025/26 campaign. After trailing 12-0 early on, Bath surged back with a series of impactful plays, showcasing resilience and skill.
Will Evans starred for Harlequins with a hat-trick, but Bath’s response was steadfast. Tom Dunn broke the deadlock, and Vilikesa Sela’s try narrowed the gap to 17-14 at halftime. The second half saw Bath dominate, scoring five tries including a powerful early touchdown by Beno Obano. Henry Arundell impressed with a brace, complemented by tries from Sam Underhill and Archie Griffin. Despite a late rally from Harlequins—try scorers Jack Kenningham and Tyrone Green clawing a bonus point—the visitors maintained control to secure the win.
Rugby reporter Sam Jess provides detailed player ratings based on their performances:
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Tom de Glanville (15) – 7
Started tentatively but quickly found his rhythm, contributing significant attacking runs from full-back.
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Joe Cokanasiga (14) – 5
Struggled defensively and was contained by Harlequins’ Caden Murley, though reliable under high balls.
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Ollie Lawrence (13) – 6
Returned from Achilles injury with flashes of brilliance, improved his direct running in the second half.
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Cameron Redpath (12) – 7
Put in the hard yards and showed composure as first receiver in a busy outing.
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Henry Arundell (11) – 8
Made an instant impact on his Premiership debut for Bath with dynamic runs, critical defense, and two crucial tries to ignite the team after halftime.
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Max Ojomoh (10) – 7
Stepped up at fly-half with effective playmaking and tactical kicking in the absence of other options.
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Ben Spencer (9, Captain) – 7
Exemplary game management and precise kicking earned him player of the match honors.
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Beno Obano (1) – 7
Found his stride after a slow start, powering over early in the second half to set the tone.
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Tom Dunn (2) – 6
Recovered from a shaky start with a strong lineout throw and driving support leading to Bath’s opening try.
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Vilikesa Sela (3) – 7
Made strong carries and scored his first league try, showing promise in his first start.
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Quinn Roux (4) – 7
Improved contact work throughout the game despite early defensive lapses.
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Charlie Ewels (5) – 6
Had a tough start defensively but grew into the match with powerful defensive contributions.
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Josh Bayliss (6) – 7
Key in both attack and defense, providing critical breaks and relentless effort.
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Guy Pepper (7) – 7
Improved his breakdown decisions in the second half, contributing decisively.
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Miles Reid (8) – 7
Grew into the game with hard runs and tireless work rate around the breakdown.
Replacements such as Kepueli Tuipulotu (8), Ted Hill (8), and Sam Underhill (8) brought fresh energy and effectiveness off the bench, contributing crucial tries and turnover ball that helped seal Bath’s robust victory.
Bath Rugby’s resilient and dynamic team effort was clear throughout the match, demonstrating why they remain the team to beat in this season’s Gallagher Premiership.