The game, and the campaign, can be summed up very simply in one paragraph. The forwards battled brilliantly and were at least the equal of their opponents in most phases (shaky lineout aside), but significant errors, particularly in execution from half-back, meant very little was created and delivered beyond 12.

One very obvious factor that went some way to determining the outcome of this match was the pitch. Before the game started it appeared heavily pock-marked and uneven. Coupled with a blustery wind and cold teeming rain it was clear that there was neither the surface nor the conditions to assist an open, attacking game.

The game started with Stade showing plenty of attacking intent. Peter Short's palm back from the kick-off was snaffled by Szarzewski and the Parisian pack drove into the Bath 22 before Little effected a turnover and Joe Maddock temporarily cleared the danger. The Bath pack sought to impose themselves, Andy Beattie giving Hugo Southwell early indication that he was in for a tough afternoon's work in his unfamiliar position.

Peter Short was penalised at the first lineout for pulling down Rabadan and the packs squared up to each other. With Bath battling huge odds to stay in the competition and Stade desperate to keep their noses ahead at the top of the group it was clear that these two formidable packs were preparing for a dour slugfest.

Up stepped the usually metronomic Beauxis for the ensuing penalty, but he couldn't muster the distance or the direction with his kick and Bath cleared.

The Stade pack, it has to be said, seemed quicker to impose themselves than Bath, assisted by the start of a series of errors from our backline, battling the opposition and the conditions.

David Flatman hammered Roncero with a mighty tackle from the lineout and Matt Banahan put up a box kick that Leguizamon fumbled on halfway. Stade kicked deep into the Bath 22 and Luke Watson did the full back's work by fielding it and putting in a clearance kick that failed to find touch. Stade kicked ahead again and Little showed nerves in barely getting downward pressure on the ball behind his own goal line.

From the restart Beattie and Grewcock combined well, driving around the fringes and making ground, but then Little was guilty of kicking straight into touch from a pass back into his 22, forsaking all their hard-earned territory. A pattern was emerging...

Leguizamon soared at the back of the lineout to secure possession and the Stade pack set about testing the skill and resolve of our defences with a series of pick and drives deep into our 22. Just as it seemed as if they might gain some reward Meres attempted a drop goal that was charged down by Julian Salvi, the resultant loose ball was seized by Banahan and Joe Maddock cleared, again failing to find touch. Leguizamon, already showing his skill in being in the right place at the right time, fielded and charged back, only to be tap-tackled by Salvi and penalised for holding on on the Bath 10m line.

Little took the penalty and...missed touch, Beauxis grabbing the clearance and sending Bath back to their 10m line.

Short secured the lineout, Claassens put up the box kick, straight to Leguizamon who fielded effortlessly again and charged back at the heart of the Bath defence. Peter Short was penalised for offside at the ensuing breakdown and up stepped Beauxis, just inside the Bath 22, to miss another penalty you might have put your mortgage on.

From the restart great defensive work from Davey Wilson forced a knock on advantage to Bath. Hape showed his line-breaking skills for the first time, taking the loose-ball and forcing himself through a couple of tackles, before a poor Claassens pass to Banahan resulted in a turnover. In a flash though Leguizamon knocked-on and Michael Stephenson kicked the loose ball through, bearing down on the Stade Francais line.  Just as it seemed as if he would score Bergamasco appeared, showing admirable pace to win the foot race and clear the danger yards from the line.

Moments later Peter Short secured lineout possession to set up another attack but Hape stepped inside and was turned over at the ruck. Southwell wasted the possession by kicking into the Bath dead ball area, where Maddock dotted down. From the drop out Andy Beattie carried powerfully, the ball came back to Claassens who box kicked straight to Leguizamon again. Meres put up a kick and Maddock knocked on embarrassingly inside his 22. Forwards winning ball, backs giving it up.

Moments later Maddock repeated the feat, knocking on again, though this time under considerable pressure. Salvi was caught offside from the knock on and this time Beauxis made no mistake from the penalty, directly in front inside the 22. 20 minutes gone, 3-0.

At this stage it was hard to see how Bath could establish an attacking platform, with the Stade pack being gifted territory and Bath unable to get their hands on the ball long enough to create anything meaningful.

Perhaps stung by his errors Joe Maddock set about setting the record straight, charging forward to collect his own Garryowen before feeding Wilson. The portly but clearly powerful Stade centre Basteread managed to rip the ball but knocked on in doing so. From the scrum Watson and Carraro combined well, feeding Maddock who stepped inside two tackles in making ground into the Stade half. Beattie rumbled forward, Watson and Mears combined and Stade were forced to kill the ball to halt the momentum. This was more like it. Little successfully converted the penalty to bring the scores level.

From the restart the ball went loose and was cleaned up by Little who cleared to the 22.

The Stade pack mauled from the lineout only to be met by a wall of stout Bath defence, at the forefront of which was the excellent Danny Grewcock. His tackle on Bastereaud forced the knock-on and Bath ran the ball out of defence before Little cleared to halfway.

In the next phase of play it was Michael Stephenson showing powerful defence to halt Bergamasco's progress. A couple of phases later Salvi and Mears combined to turnover Stade on their own 22. The ball was recycled and Claassens put up another box kick, which was fielded by, you guessed it, Leguizamon. Sorry if this is starting to sound repetitive. This time though the result was far more hurtful. Leguizamon fed Bastereaud, who picked up from the deck (with the hint of a knock on) made some rapid ground and then kicked forward. Arias, who was, charitably, on Bastereaud's shoulder (actually about a yard in front of it) collected, stepped inside the desperate cover attempt  from Matt Banahan and dotted down for five points. Beauxis missed the conversion.

Danny Grewcock had clearly decided that it was time to impose himself on proceedings. From the restart he smashed Arias into touch. If Arias was charitably adjacent to Bastereaud's shoulder for the try, Danny was charitably a smidge late with the hit. Marconnet decided to intervene on Arias's behalf, the packs squared up and for a moment it looked as if we might be in for a mass brawl as Danny showed no intention to take a backward step.

From the lineout Stade dithered at a ruck and Lee Mears saw an opportunity to intervene. What happened next is not quite clear, but Pape intervened in frustration with his boot and Mears was forced to leave the field with a hand injury. The referee dealt with this by giving Pape a warning and awarding Stade Francais a scrum.

From the scrum the ball was hoofed skywards where it was fielded by Maddock, successfully this time. He put his own kick up which was then knocked forward by Claassens halfway between the Stade 22 and 10m line.

At the next phase Stephenson again showed powerful defence to tackle Bergamasco into touch just outside his 22. Grewcock tapped the lineout back and Dixon, Short and Grewcock again rumbled forward. The ball went back to Claassens who put another kick up, this time to Beauxis who sent Bath back deep into their 22. Maddock fielded and kicked straight to ball-magnet Leguizamon, but the Stade momentum was lost as his pass hit the referee. From the ensuing scrum Leguizamon chose to kick, a decision he was to regret as he put the ball straight out.

Suddenly the pace of the game picked up. Palmer stole the Bath lineout but Salvi charged down the kick. Banahan kicked through and Meres's kick was partially charged down again. Just as it seemed as if Bath were building a notable attack though Southwell appeared to intercept Hape's pass and Stade broke forward. Maddock showed excellent defence to tackle Bergamasco in the Bath 22 as Stade built for the Bath line, Watson and Salvi slowed down the ruck and Grewcock hammered a tackle around the fringe to force a scrum.

Sadly, from the scrum the ball was moved rapidly wide right where Arias was able to evade Maddock's tackle for his second try. Beauxis this time made no mistake with the conversion from wide right to take the score to a commanding looking 15-3.

Moments later that score looked considerably less commanding. Beauxis, perhaps relaxed after seeing his side stretch their lead after dominating possession and territory, seemed to suffer a sudden inexplicable loss of concentration. Stade took the restart and Southwell fired a pass to Beauxis from the ruck. Beauxis decided to attempt to volley the ball into the stands, missed completely and Michael Claassens followed up to score the try, which Little converted to bring the score to 15-10.

Watson fielded the restart and Little cleared. From the lineout Stade were accidentally offside on their own 10m. A mighty Bath scrum forced their pack back and Watson fed Claassens, only for his kick to go straight to Beauxis who cleared to halfway. More forward pressure, more weak execution at halfback.

Claassens partially redeemed himself at the enxt lineout, superbly cleaning up after a messy Beattie tap, setting up Beattie and Wilson for rumbles before putting the ball out for half time.

The second half started with hooker Szarzewski attempting to trump Beauxis's comedy routine, similarly launching a might volley at fresh air. Stade went offside from the resulting ruck and Little stepped up to belt the penalty through the posts from halfway between Stade's 22 and 10m lines, making the score 15-13.

The following minutes saw a tactical kicking contest as both sides tried to find territorial advantage on a pitch that was showing signs of cutting up badly.

Andy Beattie towered in a lineout to secure possession but Claassens put the ball out on the full. Leguizamon took a lineout and Stade mauled to good effect, oinly to flounder on excellent Lee Mears defence. Banahan came close to intercepting a stray pass, only to knock-on just inside the Bath half. Maddock soared to field beautifully in his own 22m, only for Bergamasco to intercept the offload. Carraro smashed him into touch to snuff out the danger. Errors, errors, errors.

From another lineout Beattie secured more possession and Bath mauled forward, forcing Stade to concede a penalty to halt their progress. Little found touch halfway into Stade territory, Grewcock won the lineout, Hape blasted deep into Stade's half, Beattie, Mears and Wilson combined to take it on and then Maddock gave up the position with an offload adjudged forward by referee Lewis. Frustrating.

By now the pitch had gone beyond looking cut up and was now heading for ploughed field status. From the scrum Bath shunted the Stade pack backwards, Stephenson took the high ball and kicked to Meres who kicked superbly cross field to put Bath back to their 22.

Salvi tidied up loose ball brilliantly at the lineout and fed Little who missed touch, but was saved further embarrassment as Leguizamon knocked on for once on the Bath 22.  From the scrum Banahan punted lustily into the Stade 22, Beauxis cleared to halfway, Short won the lineout and Carraro took his turn to knock on.

Bath started to use the bench - Jack Cuthbert appearing for Michael Stephenson who had shown excellent defence and commitment with crumbs of possession - and the back pack gathered for another assault. Flatman hammered Roncero into touch with a superb tackle, Grewcock won the lineout but Little appeared hesitant and was scragged, leading to Bath being turned over at the ruck and Stade, spoiling and trying to keep Bath pinned into their own territory, again kicking the ball into the Bath dead ball area.

From the drop out Maddock marked the ball and Little again failed to find touch with the free kick, the ball falling to Meres who cleared deep back into the Bath half.

Undeterred, the pack tried again. Beattie took the lineout, Mears and Flatman combined and Claassens put up a box kick which was fielded by...no, I shan't tell you, you guess. Meres put up a kick, which was fielded by Little and Stade were penalised for not rolling away. Surely now we could get the ball deep into Stade territory and establish some momentum? Nope, Little failed to find touch again.

Moments later Palmer stole another Bath lineout, Meres put another ball up, Maddock appeared to be obstructed in trying to field the ball near his 22 and Claassens was penalised for offside. Beauxis missed the penalty.

From Little's restart Meres put the ball up again, why not - all his previous attempt had made good ground? Little fielded, Banahan hoofed a clearance to the Stade 22 and Beauxis gathered and sent Bath back again. This saw the advent of Hooper and Davis for Short and Little. Perhaps now we might see some spark from halfback?

Hooper immediately showed his lineout skills with a soaring catch but the ball was kicked to, yes, Leguizamon, who called for a mark that the referee chose not to award because he had stepped back into his 22 in catching the ball. Jack Cuthbert was following up the kick and, inexplicably, stopped, assuming that the referee would award the free kick and Leguizamon seized the opportunity to clear. Poor, very poor.

Beauxis kicked Bath back into their 22m, Leguizamon took the ball at the tail and Stade mauled forward again, only to again flounder on superb Lee Mears defence, stripping the ball from French possession for Cuthbert to clear to 10m

Bath attacked again, desperate for that winning score. Banahan ran powerfully into the Stade half, only for Claassens to throw a terrible pass that killed the momentum. Watson kicked, Leguizamon marked and kicked Bath back to their own 10m line.

Hooper again won the lineout, Bath mauled forward, Mears showed great power with a run down the blindside into the Stade half, Flatman rumbled forward and Claassens put a kick up that was fielded by you know who. This time he did knock it forward for a Bath scrum just outside the Stade 22 but Cuthbert spoilt the position by kicking the resultant ball straight to Meres who marked and sent Bath back to their own 10m.

More tactical kicking ensued, with Bath getting the worst of it, Davis missing touch twice in quick succession, before Cuthbert took a Beauxis up and under and Stade were penalised for Pape not rolling away.

Skirving came into the fray for Beattie and Bath immediately lost their own lineout again in Stade territory, Meres again kicking them back to halfway.

By now desperation had clearly crept in and Bath were showing more signs of hope than intent. Davis kicked out on the full from a Claassens pass back into the 22 Stade mauled into Bath territory and the defence held firm, Stade penalised for holding on. Banahan then missed touch with the resultant penalty. Shortly afterwards Dixon rumbled forward only for Skirving to knock on on halfway and then Davis repeating the feat on his 22. From the scrum the referee blew his whistle to put us all out of our misery.

The Bath pack competed brilliantly in this match, as they have all season. The backrow were superb and the scrums were in the ascendancy. However they were badly let down by the decision making and execution of the halfbacks and the outside backs never received enough platform to show their attacking power. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the story of our season so far.

Hurry back Butch and Olly. Heineken Cup 2009/2010, adieu.

Flatman - 8 Superb scrummaging and defensive display with plenty of attacking menace. Showed England what they are missing.

Mears - 7 Brilliant work in attack and defence, slightly marred by a few lineouts going astray.

Wilson - 7 Best display yet in a Bath shirt, very powerful scrummaging and ever present in attack and defence.

Grewcock - 8 Inspired performance from the old man. Powerful, unyielding and abrasive.

Short - 7 Still not rampaging like the Short of last year but contributed powerfully throughout

Beattie - 9. My man of the match. Absolutely back to his best now, carrying, tackling and winning lineout ball.

Salvi -7 Perhaps not quite as effective as of late, but covered every blade of grass.

Watson - 8 Powerful, assured and confident in the loose.

Claassens - 6 Not his finest hour I'm afraid. Kicked far too often to Leguizamon and Beauxis who punished us throughout. Great sniping for his try.

Little - 5. Sadly failed to realise his potential. Poor kicking form hand.

Banahan - 6 Never given the chance to impose himself with ball in hand.

Hape - 6 Some attacking endeavour but turned over a couple of times.

Carraro - 6. Strong in defence but not given much to attack with.

Stephenson - 7 Excellent defence and great endeavour to almost create a try out of nothing.

Maddock - 6. Justifiably difficult under the high ball in the conditions, some good attacking runs but some patchy kicking form hand.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon