Bourgoin picked a full strength team and Bath supporters realised the size of their team's task when they discovered Bourgoin hadn't lost a game at home in the French League for 44 games going back to 2002. As if reflecting the nerves of the team, restored fly-half Olly Barkley punted the kick-off straight out for a home line-out in the opening seconds. Bath conceded the first penalty of the match through a David Flatman error and Peclier slotted home to make the score 3-0 after 6 minutes.

After enjoying most of the early possession, albeit it mainly in their own half, Bath were awarded a penalty some five metres from the Bourgoin try-line after one of their players strayed off-side during a Bath line-out. Despite constant jeering of the home fans Olly Barkley drew the game back to 3-3. Apparently the Bath kickers had anticipated being put off at the kicks and specifically trained for this earlier in the week by shouting at each other as they practiced kicking at goal.

Bourgoin started to turn the screw and were awarded a penalty in the Bath twenty-two after 25 minutes: the Frenchmen opted for a lineout rather than a simple three points. Unfortunately for them this ploy backfired as they lost the ball as the forwards were closing in on the try-line. However within three minutes the home side secured another penalty as Bath succumbed to immense pressure and again Bourgoin chose the line-out option. The French forwards played their part in making this attack a scoring attack but, as if imitating their opponent's recent form in the Guinness Premiership, their fly-half, Boyet, dropped the ball to relieve the tension in blue, black and white households all around the country.

In their first attack in almost 15 minutes Bath were awarded a penalty after Finau ran through the Bourgoin defence and the home players struggled to roll away in the tackle. You have to have some sympathy with any tacklers of the big man because they would need to roll a few yards to gain space from Finau's body. Olly Barkley again ignored the home fans' jeers as he kicked for goal but the ball slipped just past the right hand post to keep the scores level.

With just a few minutes of the first half remaining Bourgoin regained the lead through a second Peclier penalty after Bath were adjudged to have dropped a scrum and by half time the score stood at 6-3.

Matt Stevens replaced David Flatman at the start of the second half to protect Flatman's recent achilles injury in the cold weather. Bath had to soak up a great deal of pressure in the opening ten minutes and the visitors were relieved that Michael Stephenson was on hand to chase down a Bourgoin chip and chase which could have stretched their lead. Peclier scored a third penalty after 50 minutes following Frikki Welsh conceding a penalty by appearing to lose his head with two reckless tackles. Brian Ashton took this opportunity to introduce Lee Mears to add a bit of pace in the front row and, together with Stevens, he made a real difference.

After playing on the back foot for much of the game Nick Walshe suddenly struck with a try following a scrum which saw Walshe find Welsh who broke through the defence to give the ball back to Walshe who dashed through a massive hole to touch down. Olly Barkley's conversion gave Bath a 9-10 lead after 53 minutes. This score seemed to gee up the Bath players with forwards (particularly Mears and Grewcock) and backs (Welsh, Finau and Bory) all searching for the ball and making good ground. 

A second try for Bath saw the forwards work a superb lineout move with the locks appearing to hide the ball before slipping it to Walshe who peeled around the back of his pack before handing the ball over to Lipman for the score. A great Barkley touchline conversion took the score to 9-17 and Bath were on a roll. Barkley had struggled with his first game at fly-half in the opening 40 minutes but as he settled in to his new role Bath started to take control of the game.

Bath scored a third try through Tom Cheeseman, after Gareth Delve had set him up with a fantastic dash up the touchline with two defenders hanging off him, and BBC Radio commentator Andrew Sheridan almost did himself a mischief describing this particular piece of action. This took the score to 9-22 following a missed conversion.

 This is a fantastic result for Bath, given all the recent disappointments. The whole team showed real mettle in coping with the extremely cold conditions and a fired up powerful French team. Danny Grewcock once again stood out as the star forward and his form belies his age and one can't help but feel his must be the first name Andy Robinson pencils in to his England team sheet. Finau looked far more assured in the centre than on the wing and this was without doubt his best performance for Bath and Nick Walshe looked very assured.

Well done boys, we're all proud of you.

Bourgoin: Peclier; Janin, Bousses, Giorgadze, Coux; Boyet, Forest; Milloud, Cabello, Peyron; Del-Fava, Pape; Frier, Bonnaire (capt), Petrilli.
Replacements: Cardinali, Bonet, Jooste, Monzeglio, Campeggia, Davis, Carmona.

Bath: Stephenson; Bory, Cheeseman, Finau, Welsh; Barkley, Walshe; Flatman, Dixon, Bell; Borthwick (capt), Grewcock; Short, Lipman, Feaunati.
Replacements: Mears, Stevens, Loader, Delve, Hudson, Williams, Malone.

Referee: Alain Rolland

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