Bath Beat Leinster With Final Flourish


By Juliet Bletso
September 7 2007

Bath's final pre-season friendly ended in a 29-9 victory to the home team, but this was not a one sided affair and for much of the game Leinster pushed Bath to the limit. This was certainly more of a test to prepare for the opening game of the season.

The first points of the game came after just three minutes, when Bath were awarded a penalty which Shaun Berne kicked.  Bath then attacked, but didn't manage to convert any of their chances, the most notable event of the next quarter of an hour was James Scaysbrook coming off, and from where we sat he looked well hacked off as he left the game. 

Leinster then got their first points when they were awarded a kickable penalty on 17 minutes to level the score.  This was followed by a period of attacking play from Leinster, when Bath seemed (to me anyway) to concede a lot of penalties, although some good Bath defence kept the scores level.   This was ended when Leinster were awarded another penalty to go 6-3 up, although they did not further their cause when Stephen Keogh was shown a yellow card 32 minutes into the first half. 

A man up, Bath did their best to take full advantage of this and Shaun Berne kicked another penalty to bring the scores to 6-6.  Bath finished the first half strongly and came the closest yet to a try being scored in the first half. 

Bath started the second half well by scoring a third penalty after just two minutes, Shaun Berne taking the score to 9-6. The lead was short lived when Leinster kicked a penalty of their own to draw level again, followed a few minutes later by yet another penalty kick for Bath to go ahead 12-9. 

For me this match really came to life in the final quarter of the game, when both sides started to show some fine attacking rugby which began when Shaun Berne kicked a fifth penalty to move the score to 15-9.  It was shortly after this when a good break from Alex Crockett lead to the first try of the game. The team skipper set up the score when he passed to David Barnes, who ran for the try line with almost back like speed!  Shaun Berne converted and Bath were 22-9 up.

Barnes came off straight after that try, and received one of the loudest cheers of the game as he returned to the bench.  Leinster were still attacking, but the Bath defence held firm and a solid Bath performance was rounded off by a second try right at the end of the game scored by Aaron Jarvis.