| Gallagher Premiership |
|---|
| Bath (5) 13 |
| Tries: Homer 2 Pen: Priestland |
| Leicester Tigers (3) 10 |
| Try: White Con: Hardwick Pen: Hardwick |
Tom Homer scored both of Bath’s tries as they edged past Leicester Tigers in a low-scoring Premiership encounter.
Homer’s try in the corner put the hosts ahead early on but they led by only two points at half-time, with Tom Hardwick slotting over a penalty for Tigers.
After a Rhys Priestland penalty for Bath, Leicester scrum-half Ben White burrowed over from a ruck to help the visitors to a 10-8 advantage.
However, Homer powered over with 10 minutes left to secure a home win.
Leicester took a losing bonus point from their visit to The Rec but remain without an away win in the Premiership since April and are second from bottom.
Bath’s victory, meanwhile, keeps them part of a group of clubs in a congested top half of the table.
It appeared that the second-half yellow card shown to Bath back row Josh Bayliss for collapsing a maul would prove a pivotal moment for Tigers, especially when White crossed from close range while the hosts were down to 14 men to put Leicester ahead for the first time.
However, Homer would have the final say, stepping past Jonah Holmes to touch down – although there was a slight delay while his match-winning score was eventually confirmed by the TMO.
Bath number eight Taulupe Faletau went off hurt in the closing stages but, speaking to the media after the match, said his injury was “nothing too serious” and that he should be fit to report for Wales duty for the upcoming Six Nations.
Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper told BBC Radio Bristol:
“I’m pleased with the four points but not the performance, I’m pleased with winning, that is important but overall the performance was way off where we need to be.
“We let Leicester dictate the tempo of the game, we knew with their forwards that they would slow the game down, and we were getting to their levels rather than those we wanted to set.
“When we had the ball between line-outs, I wanted to see a bit more with ball in hand. We coughed up the ball 11 times, 11 turnovers and all those moments are moments we could have applied pressure and we didn’t.
“I’m pleased with the way we scored the try, I thought the effort from the forwards was outstanding and the way the boys closed out the game was really good.”
Leicester Tigers head coach Geordan Murphy told BBC Radio Leicester:
“I’m really disappointed obviously. It was very turgid but I thought that we had done enough to be two points up with a short time on the clock and I was confident that Bath wouldn’t have enough to break us down, but then we made some very poor tackles.
“It was a particularly ugly game but one we could have won so I’m gutted. A lot of guys will come under pressure because it was costly.
“We had huge physicality there today. I thought our defence was good in part and collectively we looked good as Bath are a team that will come at you.
“We’ll have some downtime before the next game, then we go into a block of difficult games starting with Wasps at home, but on days like today it’s hard to focus on the positives.”
Bath: Homer; Rokoduguni, Wright, Willison, Brew; Priestland, Cook; Obano, Walker, Judge, McNally, Stooke, Williams, Bayliss, Faletau.
Replacements: Doughty, Boyce, Nixon, Garvey, Ellis, Chudley, Burns, Matavesi.
Leicester: Veainu; Holmes, Taute, Eastmond, Olowofela; Hardwick, White; Gigena, T Youngs, Cole, Lavanini, Spencer, Wells, Taufua, Kalamafoni.
Replacements: Polota-Nau, Bateman, Heyes, Boladau, Reffell, Simmons, Reid, Worth.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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