How often do you see a double rainbow over the Rec? About as often as you see Bath score six tries I'd wager. There was beauty in both!

Bath got off to a cracking start when Olly Barkley jinked his way through a group of defenders after three minutes to score the opening try. Just before Barkley scored I was cursing him as he refused to pass out wide to either Abendanon or Stephenson, both of whom only had to catch the ball to trot in for a try. However the Bath centre backed himself to score and his confidence set up the first of six superbly executed conversions, mostly from on or near the touchline.

The try came about from a marvellous hoof upfield by Barkley from which Bath stole the ensuing Montpellier lineout and quick hands from the backs set up the score. Co-incidentally later in the match Chris Malone's replacement, Shaun Berne, also set up his own try with a beautifully weighted chip across the pitch which forced a French defender to concede a five metre line-out. Berne took the ball from the set piece to score. 

Picture courtesy Jules

Michael Stephenson scored the first of his brace after 14 minutes following a powerful Bath rolling maul which trundled some 30 metres up-field. Montpellier were penalised but Bath continued with the advantage and the ball ended up in the hands of the Bath winger who ran in for his score.

Bath continued to dominate and the final try of the half was set up by the commitment of Danny Grewcock. In a week when he's been talking of retirement and hoping to (eventually) move in to teaching it was appropriate that the old man of the Bath team was able to teach the "young pups" how to influence a match. Following some loose play by his team mates on the edge of the Montpellier twenty-two the ball squirted in to open space and the first to react was Grewcock. His legs pumped like the Bath Bullet as his eyes focused on the target. Bill McLaren would loved to have had this opportunity to describe a genuine "bullock on the hoof" and it was disappointing for everyone when winger Boussuge just beat the Bath giant to touch down for a five metre scrum.

But French relief was short lived when a mighty Bath scrum shoved forward and Nick Walshe dived under a forest of legs to score.

Another Barkley conversion saw a half-time score of 21-3.

Picture courtesy Jules

As with the first half, Bath got off to a perfect start with Michael Stephenson's second try and five minutes later Shaun Berne scored Bath's fifth try. Within another five minutes Bath made it six with Michael Lipman driving across the line to make his return to rugby something to remember.

Bath could have gone on to totally destroy their French visitors but coach Meehan, rightly, decided to rest his key players and the final twenty-five minutes saw a replacement merry-go-round plus a sin bin for Eliota which ensured the Bath momentum was lost. Montpellier took this opportunity to score a couple of late tries to ensure the score looked a bit more respectable.

Picture courtesy Jules

All in all this was a good performance by Bath and one we should applaud. Yes Montpellier were poor and Bath would not have had as many opportunities to score against better opposition. However the forwards rumbled with confidence, especially Steve Borthwick who had several aggressive spats, and the backs looked fast and keen to move the ball. 

Gareth Delve could easily have been man of the match as he showed everyone his form and fitness have returned. However this was Olly Barkley's match and if Brian Ashton was skulking somewhere within the Rec, trying not to be recognised, he would have seen a player truly in form. His boot was as sharp as I've ever seen it: the accuracy of his conversions from the edge of the pitch had to be seen to be believed - great stuff!

Does this mean we now have to play Bristol? Oh er!!

BATH: 15. N Abendanon 14. M Stephenson 13. E Fuimaono-Sapolu (sin-bin, 67-78) 12. O Barkley 11. D Bory 10. C Malone (Berne, 41) 9. N Walshe (Williams, 69) 1. D Barnes (Ovens, 62) 2. L Mears (Hawkins, 69) 3. A Jarvis 4. S Borthwick (captain; Faamatuainu, 62) 5. D Grewcock (Fidler, 41) 6. P Short 7. M Lipman (Scaysbrook, 62) 8. G Delve

Replacements: 16. R Hawkins 17. L Ovens 18. R Fidler 19. J Faamatuainu 20. J Scaysbrook 21. A Williams 22. S Berne

MONTPELLIER: 15.  O Sarraméa 14. J Boussuge 13. F Charrier 12. M Taele (Crane, 55) 11. S Kuzbik (Alcalde, 68) 10. F Trinh-Duc (Aucagne, 62) 9. J Tomas (captain) 1. P Tolomea 2. N Grelon (Caudullo, 72) 3. C Baïocco (Vaudaine, 62) 4. M Bert (Russell, 59) 5. M Macurdy 6. M Durand (Mathieu, 55) 7. D Chouchan 8. L Picamoles

Replacements: 16. J Caudullo 17. D Vaudaine 18. J Russell 19. C Mathieu 20. H Crane 21. D Aucagne 22. J-M Alcalde

Referee: P Fitzgibbon (Ireland)

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