Bath Rugby delivered a stellar performance in France, defeating Castres Olympique 43-20 on Friday night to take a firm grip on the top spot in Pool 2 of the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup. Alfie Barbeary was the standout player, playing a pivotal role in the visitors’ convincing victory.
The first half was competitive, with both sides trading tries. Castres’ Teddy Durand-Pradere and Nathanael Hulleu each crossed the line, while Bath responded with close-range tries from Cam Redpath, Ted Hill, and Tom Dunn. Despite going down to 14 men twice—Beno Obano and Will Muir receiving yellow cards—Bath led 21-17 at halftime, showing resilience under pressure.
Bath came out firing in the second half. Obano secured the bonus-point try shortly after the break, followed by a penalty from Finn Russell. Later, late tries from Will Muir and Tom Carr-Smith—nearly from his first touch—sealed the match and silenced the home crowd.
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A rainstorm before kickoff left the pitch slick, impacting ball handling early on with mistakes from both teams. Castres opened scoring quickly through a well-executed driving maul. Bath responded swiftly, capitalizing on pressure and penalties to claim multiple tries. Despite disciplinary setbacks, Bath’s determination and tactical execution in the pack turned the tide.
Key moments included a powerful turnover scrum by Vilikesa Sela and a barnstorming break by Barbeary that set up Ted Hill’s try to level the score in the first half. Bath’s relentless aggression at the breakdown forced multiple penalties from Castres, allowing sustained pressure and crucial points.
In the final quarter, Bath’s defense stood firm against a spirited Castres comeback attempt. Substitutes Will Butt and Thomas du Toit provided fresh energy, with Butt’s crucial turnover and Carr-Smith’s late try highlighting Bath’s dominance.
This comprehensive victory not only secures Bath Rugby’s strong position in the pool but also sets them up well for the upcoming home knockout match against Edinburgh.
Castres Olympique: 15. Theo Chabouni, 14. Christian Ambadiang, 13. Vuate Karawalevu, 12. Jack Goodhue, 11. Nathanael Hulleu, 10. Pierre Popelin, 9. Jeremy Fernandez, 1. Quentin Walcker, 2. Teddy Durand-Pradere, 3. Will Collier, 4. Guillaume Ducat, 5. Florent Vanverberghe, 6. Baptiste Delaporte (c), 7. Baptiste Cope, 8. Tyler Ardron
Replacements: 16. Loris Zarantonello, 17. Atunaisa Sokobale, 18. Nicolas Corato, 19. Tom Staniforth, 20. Simon Meka, 21. Gauthier Doubrere, 22. Enzo Herve, 23. Geoffrey Palis
Bath Rugby: 15. Santi Carreras, 14. Henry Arundell, 13. Max Ojomoh, 12. Cameron Redpath, 11. Will Muir, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ben Spencer (c), 1. Beno Obano, 2. Tom Dunn, 3. Vilikesa Sela, 4. Quinn Roux, 5. Ross Molony, 6. Ted Hill, 7. Miles Reid, 8. Alfie Barbeary
Replacements: 16. Kepu Tuipulotu, 17. Francois van Wyk, 18. Thomas du Toit, 19. Josh Bayliss, 20. Guy Pepper, 21. Tom Carr-Smith, 22. Will Butt, 23. Joe Cokanasiga
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRE)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (IRE), Daniel Carson (IRE)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRE)