I don't know what was said at half-time by the Bath coaches but their charges certainly came out for the second period of their game all fired up and ready to win a game which was slipping away from them. Perhaps John Connolly pinned up a photo of Nigel Melville or perhaps he told them to imagine Stan Collymore was playing for Leinster. Whatever the case Bath played like a different team in the second half of this match to ensure an early away victory was assured.

Throughout the first half the Bath players sometimes looked both uncertain and sluggish, as though last week's monumental rear-guard action against Glawster had drained them both physically and mentally. Chris Malone's normal long spiraling kicks from hand regularly fell short of touch, giving the Leinster backs ample opportunity to counter attack. Martin Wood's passing was as accurate as recent newspaper articles on the future of John Connolly. Malone didn't know whether he would have to pick them off his toes or reach for the skies so varied were Wood's passes. However the pack, as ever, controlled things up front, stealing several line-outs from inaccurate Leinster throws.

Leinster started the scoring after just 3 minutes with Contepomi stealing Chris Malone's thunder with an early drop goal and Olly Barkley had an opportunity to draw things level just 3 minutes later, but he missed his penalty attempt as the ball thwacked against the upright. Leinster then enjoyed a period of concerted pressure, knocking Bath against the ropes, and the whole ground assumed an Irish try after 9 minutes only to see both Lee Best and Martyn Wood turn Brian O'Riordan on his back just as he was about to touch down. This great last ditch defence summed up Bath's "never say die" attitude throughout the match: we may not have the greatest attacking backline in Europe but you'd struggle to find one as consistently solid in defence!

I say "we may not have the greatest attacking backline in Europe" but if (as they say) this game was played on paper, there are many top clubs in Europe who would like to have a backline of Best, Bory, Cheeseman, Barkley, Welsh, gracing their team sheet. Bory and Welsh have already shown their pace, power and willingness to attack from the deepest of positions. Olly Barkley is no slouch in speed of foot or thought and had he been coached by someone of the vision of say, Brian Ashton, I've no doubt he would be at the centre of regular exciting maneuvers resulting in tries. This backline should be embarrassed by the number of tries they score, not embarrassed by the number they fail to score!

Within 2 minutes of Best and Wood putting a halt to O'Riordan's scoring ambitions, Contepomi and D'Arcy conspired to outwit the visitors with a try and conversion for the ex-Bristol man to give Leinster a 10-0 lead. Barkley bagged Bath's first score after 15 minutes but almost from the kick-off Contepomi restored the 10 point lead after Matt Stevens stupidly grabbed the hair of Horgan in a very kickable position. I thought Stevens looked very uncomfortable in the scrum and several times looked to be responsible for potential penalty situations: fortunately the ref missed them otherwise they could have been very costly for Bath. It's at times like these that one realises the influence of David Barnes and how little recognition he gets outside of our fair City. I can see why Foley opts to start with Barnes and uses Stevens as an impact player once the opposition has been softened up. 

Barkley scored again after 31 minutes, following an Irish punch and a few minutes later the young centre could have been making the score 13-9 as Bath were awarded another penalty in front of the posts but Martyn Wood's loose mouth cost the visitors a penalty reverse. How much longer can the coaching staff at Bath tolerate this blokes indiscipline, slow scrum feeds, wayward passing when the likes of Andy Williams cannot make the squad, let alone the starting spot? Fortunately Bath were awarded another penalty just before half time to take the score to 13-9 at the break.

Bath were fired up for the second half and had secured a penalty after just 20 seconds: unfortunately Barkley missed his shot at goal. Then came the turning point of the game, the Bath try, as this took the visitors in to the lead. Danny Grewcock set up Bath's territorial advantage with a bullocking run through midfield and it took an illegal ball-killing by David Blaney (the Irish/American street magician) to halt the attack. The hooker was binned and Bath had a penalty in front of the posts. Everyone was gearing themselves for an easy 3-pointer, when Chris Malone unexpectedly grabbed the ball and chipped it in to the "end zone" for Tom Cheeseman and Andy Beattie to make a grab. The Bath back missed the ball but The Beast didn't. A superb touchline conversion took the score to 13-16.

A trading of penalties took the score to 16-19 in Bath's favour when up stepped Chris Malone once again to slot home another remarkable drop-goal, this time from 40 metres. So, the bloke who is constantly berated by Bath supporters for having little vision and less than average skill, set up the try with his quick thinking and ensured we won the match with his hefty boot. 

A late penalty, after Feaunati was caught offside, drew the game to within 3 points and Bath had to hang on at the end for what must be seen as a great victory away from home against difficult opposition. This is a great start to our European campaign but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We play Bourgoin next week and they've said they'll be trying this year and we all know that any French team is a dangerous French team.

Leinster: Dempsey, Lewis, D'Arcy, Horgan, Kearney, Contepomi, Corrigan, Blaney, Green, O'Riordan, Gissing, Williams, Potts, Gleeson, Heaslip.
Replacements: Hepworth for Kearney (73), Jackman for B. Blaney (59), O'Meara for O'Riordan (59), O'Kelly for Gissing (59).
Not Used: Byrne, Dillon, Hickey.

Sin Bin: Blaney (45).

Bath: Best, Bory, Cheeseman, Barkley, Welsh, Malone, Wood, Stevens, Mears, Bell, Borthwick, Grewcock, Beattie, Scaysbrook, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Dixon for Mears (76), Delve for Fea'unati (76).
Not Used: Loader, Hudson, Walshe, Davis, Finau.

Ref: Nigel Whitehouse

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon