Bath Rugby concluded their pre-season campaign with an emphatic 53-5 triumph over a youthful Glasgow Warriors side at Old Anniesland.
Several internationals returned to the Bath starting XV, contributing to a dominant performance. Bath surged to a 22-0 lead by half-time, with tries from Bernard van der Linde, Joe Cokanasiga, and a brace from Santi Carreras.
Despite numerous substitutions, Bath continued to extend their advantage. Cam Redpath scored twice, Bernard van der Linde added a second try, and Ollie Lawrence and Claudius Wheeler also crossed the try line. The only Glasgow points came from Alex Bryden.
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Here is how rugby writer Sam Jess rated the Bath players:
15. Santi Carreras – 7 Making his first appearance of the season, Carreras demonstrated composure in difficult conditions, showcasing excellent handling. He scored two well-executed first-half tries, one from a chip kick by Finn Russell and another following a clever run.
14. Joe Cokanasiga – 6 Cokanasiga contributed solidly, making important tackles despite being caught narrow in defence on occasions. He scored a try in the first half and provided a smart offload that set up a Redpath try after the break.
13. Ollie Lawrence – 7 Although a little rusty with ball in hand under the rain, Lawrence was influential defensively with key reads and impactful tackles. His performance improved as the match progressed, culminating in a try.
12. Max Ojomoh – 7 Ojomoh showed promising attacking moments, keeping things simple to suit the wet conditions. Defensively strong, he shifted to the wing in the second half, contributing with inventive plays including a crossfield kick that led to a Bath score.
11. Tom de Glanville – 6 With limited attacking opportunities, de Glanville nonetheless made several important defensive interventions.
10. Finn Russell – 9 Russell made a sensational return to Bath Rugby, displaying grace and skill that belied the pre-season stage. His creative touches and offloads were instrumental in Bath’s early dominance despite heavy rain.
9. Bernard van der Linde – 8 The scrum-half was excellent, managing the conditions expertly with precise box kicks and scoring a well-taken try.
1. Beno Obano – 8 Obano was influential in securing scrum penalties and used his physicality effectively to thwart Glasgow’s mauls.
2. Dan Frost – N/A Frost was strong during his 20 minutes on the field, despite a brief appearance.
3. Will Stuart – 8 Starting for the first time since December 2022, Stuart dominated the scrum, winning multiple penalties.
4. Ted Hill – 7 Hill was effective in lineouts on both sides of the ball, disrupting Glasgow’s set pieces.
5. Charlie Ewels (captain) – 7 Ewels led robustly, delivering heavy tackles that forced errors from Glasgow.
6. Guy Pepper – 6 Pepper had a quieter game but was disruptive at the breakdown.
7. Sam Underhill – 7 Underhill was physical and relentless, delivering big hits that slowed Glasgow’s limited attacks.
8. Josh Bayliss – 6 Bayliss was abrasive in his play but would have preferred more involvement with the ball.
Replacements:
- Jamie Bhatti – N/A
- Tom Carr-Smith – N/A
- Ieuan Davies – 7: Came on in the second half, showing good pace and attacking threat though his kicking was uneven.
- Ciaran Donoghue – 7: Displayed quality distribution and redirected play effectively off the bench.
- Dan du Preez – N/A
- Tom Dunn – 6: Helped maintain scrum and lineout proficiency.
- Austin Emens – 6: Added pace and defensive solidity on the wing.
- Arthur Green – N/A
- Archie Griffin – N/A
- Charlie Griffin – 8: Outstanding under the high ball and carried powerfully.
- Jack Harrison – N/A
- Will Jeanes – N/A
- Scott Kirk – N/A
- Ross Molony – N/A
- Cameron Redpath – 7: Strengthened midfield with solid defence and attack, scoring twice.
- Miles Reid – 7: Impactful off the bench with strong defensive work at the breakdown.
- Ewan Richards – N/A
- Quinn Roux – N/A
- George Timmins – N/A
- Kepueli Tuipulotu – N/A
- Claudius Wheeler – Took his try well late in the match.
- Jack Woods – N/A
Bath demonstrated depth and resilience, setting a positive tone ahead of the upcoming season.