Bath Rugby delivered a stunning performance in France, overpowering Castres Olympique 43-20 in their third pool clash of the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup. Alfie Barbeary was the standout player, driving Bath into a commanding position atop Pool 2.
The first half was fiercely contested. Castres opened the scoring through tries from Teddy Durand-Pradere and Nathanael Hulleu, while Bath responded with close-range efforts from Cam Redpath, Ted Hill, and Tom Dunn. Despite playing with two men temporarily off the field due to yellow cards for Beno Obano and Will Muir, Bath held a narrow 21-17 lead at halftime.
The visitors elevated their game after the break, with Obano crossing for a bonus-point try early in the second half. Combined with a Russell penalty and late scores from Will Muir and near-instant impact substitute Tom Carr-Smith, Bath sealed a comprehensive 43-20 victory, silencing the Castres crowd.
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A heavy downpour before kickoff left the Stade Pierre-Fabre slippery and challenging. Early errors such as a Finn Russell knock-on gave Castres early momentum. Nevertheless, Bath’s resilience showed as they drew penalties and applied pressure, with Redpath crashing over to level the game.
Discipline would prove pivotal, as both sides endured yellow cards. Despite temporary numerical disadvantages, Bath’s forwards, notably Vilikesa Sela and Alfie Barbeary, gained crucial turnovers and powered the ball forward. Barbeary’s relentless runs and teamwork with Hill and Obano culminated in key tries that swung momentum Bath’s way.
Castres struggled with repeated infringements, gifting Bath scoring opportunities through penalties and lineouts. Their own attempts to claw back the lead were thwarted by Bath’s solid defense, including vital turnovers from Will Butt and dominant scrums marshaled by Thomas du Toit.
Barbeary’s influence peaked in the final quarter, featuring in the buildup to multiple tries during a sweeping blindside move and linking with Ojomoh to set up Muir’s galloping finish. Butt’s late dart through the defense capped off the scoring, ensuring Bath’s bonus-point triumph and setting the stage for a decisive home fixture against Edinburgh.
With this commanding away win, Bath Rugby assert their status as Pool 2 frontrunners and continue their pursuit of European glory.