Bath Rugby Player Ratings: Sharp as a Knife in PREM Rugby Cup Victory Over Gloucester

Bath Rugby clinched their place in the PREM Rugby Cup semi-finals with a decisive 38-26 victory over West Country rivals Gloucester, in front of a sold-out Recreation Ground crowd.

The scoring began early, with Tom Carr-Smith crossing the try line in the 15th minute. Kepueli Tuipulotu quickly followed with a powerful try from the back of a dominant Bath maul just five minutes later, setting the tone.

Gloucester’s Ben Redshaw responded at the half-hour mark, but Bath’s lead was quickly restored when Carr-Smith expertly found Will Muir in open space to score before halftime.

Carr-Smith opened the second half with another try, but Bath’s momentum was briefly halted when Francois van Wyk received a yellow card. Gloucester capitalized swiftly, with Ollie Thorley and Max Knight both scoring in a quick succession.

However, Bath responded emphatically with tries from Ethan Staddon and Max Ojomoh, effectively sealing their semi-final berth. Though Deian Gwynne scored a late consolation try for Gloucester, earning them a losing bonus point, it did little to change the outcome.

Rugby writer Ben Baker offers a closer look at the individual performances from Bath players:

Tom de Glanville – 7
A shaky start gave way to a composed and confident display. De Glanville was dominant in the air and strong defensively, showcasing fine game awareness, especially with his evasive movement allowing Carr-Smith’s wing pass.
Joe Cokanasiga – 6
Started energetically with a strong tackle putting an opponent into touch. While not heavily involved offensively, his defensive work and relentless kick chases were commendable.
Chris Harris – 5
The former Gloucester player struggled to make an impact, opting to carry ball through phases rather than exploiting space or creating opportunities.
Will Butt (Captain) – 8
Buff’s outstanding leadership and creative play unlocked Gloucester’s defense consistently. He was instrumental in creating the chance for Carr-Smith’s opening try.
Will Muir – 8
A standout performance, Muir scored his 40th Bath try with great positional play and demonstrated excellent defensive skills including a crucial tap tackle. His assist to Ojomoh was another highlight.
Max Ojomoh – 7
Returned to fly-half duties with a confident display, finishing off a try in tight space and contributing solid physicality throughout the match.
Tom Carr-Smith – 8
In his 50th appearance, Carr-Smith shone with two tries and an assist. His sharp passing, tactical kicking, and overall game management were pivotal.
Francois van Wyk – 5
A solid effort overshadowed by a costly yellow card for dangerous play, during which Gloucester scored twice.
Kepueli Tuipulotu – 7
Strong and relentless, Tuipulotu scored from a dominant maul and disrupted Gloucester’s attack with a charged-down kick, despite some lineout struggles.
Vilikesa Sela – 6
The young tighthead was solid in the scrum and maul, making impactful tackles and powering the set-piece.
Will Jeanes – 5
Showed some promising carries but maintained a quiet presence overall, substituted after 60 minutes.
Charlie Ewels – 6
His first PREM Cup appearance saw a few early errors, but he recovered to provide stability at the lineout and breakdown.
Ted Hill – 6
Dominant in the ruck and strong in ball carries, Hill played a key role in Bath’s back row dominance.
Ethan Staddon – 8
One of his season’s finest displays, Staddon was everywhere at the breakdown, swiftly winning penalties and culminating his display with a well-taken try.
Miles Reid – 7
Powerful and experienced, Reid matched Staddon’s intensity at the breakdown and contributed valuable ball carries.

Replacements:
Tom Dunn (5), Beno Obano (6), Mikey Summerfield (5), Quinn Roux (6), Alfie Barbeary (6), Bernard van Der Linde (6), Will Roue (6), Cameron Redpath (7)