Bath Rugby delivered an emphatic 40-14 victory over Munster in a memorable Champions Cup opener played in damp conditions at the Rec. The home side raced to a 28-0 lead within the first twenty minutes, starting with a penalty try, followed by tries from Miles Reid, Henry Arundell, and Tom Dunn.
Munster responded with a try from Edwin Edogbo, but Beno Obano quickly restored Bath’s dominance by crashing over for a try. The visitors did manage a late score before halftime, with Craig Casey crossing to offer some hope. However, the second half saw a more balanced contest, with Munster holding the majority of possession but failing to break through Bath’s disciplined defence.
The game’s outstanding moment came late when Ted Hill sealed the win with an impressive counter-attack try, capping off a dominant night for Bath and securing all five points.
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Player Ratings:
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Tom de Glanville – 7
A solid fullback who ran a smart line for Bath’s second try and was dependable under the high ball in challenging conditions.
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Joe Cokanasiga – 5
Struggled in wet weather and dropped two high balls, which allowed Munster to gain some momentum.
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Max Ojomoh – 6
Showed glimpses of skill starting at centre, but the conditions limited his impact.
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Cameron Redpath – 6
Provided a quality kick that led to Arundell’s try, with some good defensive work as well.
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Henry Arundell – 7
In his first European start for his boyhood club, Arundell was relentless in chasing kicks and showcased his blistering speed to score a vital try.
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Finn Russell – 6
Mixed game with moments of quality alongside mistakes, including a couple of kicking errors, but he nailed five out of six conversions.
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Ben Spencer (captain) – 9
Masterful performance directing play and dominating territory through accurate kicking. Also contributed creatively with a chip-and-chase that led to Hill’s try.
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Beno Obano – 7
Powerful at scrum time and effective around the fringes, rewarded with a well-earned try.
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Tom Dunn – 7
Outstanding in set pieces and contributed significantly despite difficult playing conditions.
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Will Stuart – 6
Solid, though his impact was limited after receiving a yellow card and eventually leaving with injury.
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Quinn Roux – 8
Key figure in disrupting Munster’s lineout early on, though defensive mauls posed some challenges later.
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Charlie Ewels – 8
Combative and effective, causing significant difficulties for Munster’s lineout.
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Josh Bayliss – 7
Relentless at the breakdown and impactful in open play.
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Guy Pepper – 6
Constant presence and made an important lineout steal early, but was substituted at halftime.
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Miles Reid – 7
Strong defensively and scored a close-range try, showcasing his all-around game.
Replacements:
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Kepu Tuipulotu – 6
Brought physicality off the bench despite some lineout throwing errors.
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Francois van Wyk – 6
Helped strengthen the scrum in Bath’s favour.
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Thomas du Toit – 7
Dominant in the scrum, though he conceded some penalties near the breakdown.
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Ross Molony – N/A
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Ted Hill – 6
Aggressive and energetic off the bench, rewarded with a crucial try.
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Tom Carr-Smith – N/A
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Santi Carreras – 7
A polished cameo showing his quality from fullback.
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Sam Underhill – 7
Defensively sound and influential in the second half.