Watching Bath Rugby TV’s ‘Classic Matches’ series got me thinking about another ‘Famous Five’ topic – great Bath tries. We have been privileged over the years to see some outstanding tries, at the Rec and elsewhere. So, trawling the memory bank, and the internet, I have chosen five which stick in the memory. Not necessarily the most significant, or even the best, but all special in their way and hopefully will bring a smile to salve the lockdown blues. Here they are.
1. Semesa Rokodoguni v Saracens October 2017 An unexpected stunner. Saracens had just taken the lead in a match that Bath, against expectation, had dominated. The victors had done so with a penalty try that cost Bath the services of Taulupe Faletau, consigned to the sin bin. Roko, positioned at fly half at an attacking scrum, took Cook’s pass to step Spencer, Farrell and Wyles in turn and outpace the struggling cover to snatch back the lead. His interception a few minutes later to turn desperate Saracens attack into another try and ten point winning margin was merely the icing on the cake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTZekQzQ2yg
2. Kyle Eastmond v Leicester September 2014
In a romping rout of the Tigers, this was the pick of five tries. Leicester lost the ball at their own lineout on Bath’s 5 Metre line, Webber fed Ford whose miss pass put Joseph into space. JJ snaked up to the 10 Metre line to offload to Hooper who switched the other way to Eastmond, who beat three men up the middle. Cook and Ford took the ball on under the shadow of Leicester’s posts where a series of short forward drives pressed closer until Wilson’s clearing pass was tipped by Ford to Eastmond to pirouette over the line for the score. “brilliant! One of the tries of the season from Bath –all of 90 meters!” purred the commentators. It was hard to disagree.
3. Francois Louw v Leicester April 2013 I wanted at least one forward try in my selection and it had to be Francois, despite some tremendous competition. This one came in a thrilling match at the end of a disappointing season, when Bath flattered to deceive. The last home game of the campaign was played in glorious sunshine, which Leicester fans must now think is Blue, Black and White in colour, so often has bright weather proven Bath’s sixteenth man – especially at the Rec. Leicester were riding high in the Premiership, Bath struggling in mid table, so fans held stronger hope than expectation. After a bright start, Bath went in at the interval 19-20 down. Beattie’s early score, Rokodoguni’s interception try and Agulla’s score from Donald’s cross kick overhauled by outstanding scores from Tom Croft (an arcing run off a ruck) and Ben Youngs (an audacious tap and go and length of field dash) and superior goalkicking. Two Flood penalties seemed to seal Bath’s fate but Bath’s forwards had other ideas. Perenise burst along the touchline late on and offloaded to Louw, who broke 2 tackles, evaded touch and outpaced the cover, for an outrageous dive for the corner, a stunning try and victory!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_1vh6uuG9s
Matt Banahan v Leicester May 2015
Few thought the Premiership Semi Final would repeat the thrill and triumph of September’s encounter – until the second minute. Eastmond was downed in midfield and from the ruck Stringer passed wide left to Attwood who found Ford on the loop. Ford’s deft pass allowed Joseph to dance a jig past two defenders, carving a hole he swept through to send Banahan over in the corner. “That’s a stellar start!” Miles Harrison yelled. Indeed, it was only 1:39 on the match clock in what was to prove, eventually, a long afternoon for the visitors whose tails were firmly between their legs long before the eventual 47-10 end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z-GTAg9_RA&t=29s
5. Anthony Watson v Leicester (The Clash) April 2017
This is my favourite of the bunch, because it rings echoes of great past days at Twickenham in 1989 & 1996 when Bath snatched victory at the last in Cup Finals against the old foe. This time, there was no trophy to claim, but there was glorious sunshine, a match of five tries and a fourteen point Bath comeback inside the space of three minutes. Joseph and Faletau had combined to put Watson over wide on the right to close the gap to 20-21 when JP Pietersen was sinbinned for a deliberate knock-on. From the lineout off the ensuing penalty Tapuai drove the ball up, Fotoali’i and Ford made space for Joseph who freed Banahan down the left. The big man checked inside as if to take contact and flipped a no-look one- hand pass into the path of Watson looping on his outside. Watson scorched in down the left to cross and dot down behind the posts. Job done!
So that is my, subjective, selection. All taken from recent years unlike the earlier bunches of five. They show, among other things, that Bath have the personnel to score great tries – with Rokodoguni, Watson and Joseph still on the books and joined by Cokanasiga, McConnochie and Hamer- Webb there is plenty of talent out wide. Hopefully the rumoured arrival of Ben Spencer can provide swifter service to the backs. Three of my five featured George Ford, which just shows how much we need a fly half with not only the composure and control to command a game, but also the flair and finesse to foment flamboyance. The approach that brought those scores, the ambition to finish them used to be in Bath’s DNA. Let’s hope we see more of that next season.
Leroy Houston was a highly popular scorer, so too Nick Abendanon. We've seen great stuff from JJ, Faletau and recently a lot of close quarter forward stuff for the upfront purists.
But one that is always at the top for me is Mike Beese v Cardiff circa1975
Bath lineout on own 5 metre line. Horton receives it under own posts. Darts up to the line, chips over Cardiff backs, regathers and sprints up centre of the field
Horton is up to their full back around centre of half way line and passes behind his back to Beese coming on the scissors to take pout the full back
Beese has an easy run to the posts
For a 15/16 year old fly half it was truly inspirational
I think Gaz was saying it was inspirational for him as he was a 15/16 year old........
Watched a couple of those links and let the next U Tube clip play, and is it me or was rugby more exciting then?
I recognise no one, other than an Exeter supporter, is going to put up a pick and drive, but all the same we played as if we looked like we were enjoying it!
Bath Supporter Jack I think Gaz was saying it was inspirational for him as he was a 15/16 year old........
Watched a couple of those links and let the next U Tube clip play, and is it me or was rugby more exciting then?
I recognise no one, other than an Exeter supporter, is going to put up a pick and drive, but all the same we played as if we looked like we were enjoying it!
Funny you should say that, watched a couple of international games from about 10-15 years ago at the weekend, no kick about ping pong, few box kicks, no caterpillar, no resets but some brutal rucks but watched it readily for the full 80 mins. Noticeable that as the forwards were tied up in breakdowns there was more room for the backs.
P.S. Tom Croft was some player.
Sam Harris
Opinion is based on assumptions, whereas fact is based on observation or research.
1. Elvis - say no more
2. Simpson v Bristol in the John Player Cup final. My first trip to Twickenham with my Dad and we became the dominant force in the West Country.
3. Callard v Brive in 1998. One of those games where heart kept us in it and the try whilst unexceptional was one of the very few where I hugged strangers in the ground.
4. Louw v Toulouse in 2015. Just an exceptional try where JJ looked untouchable.
5. Swift v Wasps 1995 Pilkington Cup final. Went with about 20 London workmates and I was in the minority of about 1 supporting Bath. We hammered them and Swiftie was magnificent on his last appearance. He finished magnificently from a long way out for him!
Game is worth watching to cheer yourself up ... great names. Bath v Wasps 1995
There was an extra time P.Cup semi at Kingsholm , maybe 91/92 which went to extra time and their FH ( Hanaford ?) broke the deadlock with 2 mins of first half of ET to go with a penalty. Gloucs held firm until last 3 mins when Fallon and Swift scored tries in rapid succession - I was slumped over the crowd railings on the terraces, unable to move, absolutely drained as Kingsholm emptied faster than I'd ever remembered.
Were they great tries??
I my recollection they were THE BEST.
Pure magic.
Quins final with Barrel's drunken DG to win it IIRC????
The one against Saracens which got us the bonus point on the Saturday afternoon........and the one Bob Calleja (remember him) gave me an A3/A4 picture of in midair horizontally diving for the line about 9 seconds from when he came on the pitch for the first time in the 75th minute..........
Or.....
No of course it is the one you mean against LI in the evening KO which brought an eruption of joy from 12,000 people the like I had never seen before. I still get goosebumps sitting at my desk now thinking of it . I think it deserves someone doing a linky thing to U Tube.
Mind you some of the others mentioned above are very, very good as well
Bath Supporter Jack I'm with you JTF.............
But which try?
The one against Saracens which got us the bonus point on the Saturday afternoon........and the one Bob Calleja (remember him) gave me an A3/A4 picture of in midair horizontally diving for the line about 9 seconds from when he came on the pitch for the first time in the 75th minute..........
Or.....
No of course it is the one you mean against LI in the evening KO which brought an eruption of joy from 12,000 people the like I had never seen before. I still get goosebumps sitting at my desk now thinking of it . I think it deserves someone doing a linky thing to U Tube.
Mind you some of the others mentioned above are very, very good as well
joethefanatic How in the name of all that's holy were we nearly relegated?
I guess one could look at that team nostalgically and bask in its glow. But it would also be fairly straightforward to write it off if one felt curmudgeonly. So ... donning the curmudgeons cap, and with apologies to all of these Bath legends who I would bow and scrape to in person:
Perry - 2 years since his last England cap, and - given his relatively slight frame, the way he would hurl himself into tackling might already have taken a bit of a toll?
Danielli - prototype George North physically, but rarely fully translated that
Maggs - boshing centre out of place on the wing?
Tindall - peaking around that time, but did have his 1-dimensional days
Barkley and Catt - both of them fly-halfs by trade who moved to centre more as a result of not being perfect decision-makers at 10. As a combination it might work, or it really might not
Cooper - always looked quality to me, but again, had a touch of the Chris Cooks in not convincing every coach
Barnes, Humphreys, Mallett - 3 x honest, hard-workers, but lacking in x-factor
Borthwick, Grewcock - no arguments here - 2nd row pairing that really ought to have been central to challenging for trophies
G Thomas, Beattie, N Thomas - very much a 'club' back-row
What a lovely bonus this morning sitting at my desk "working".
I click on your linky thing and get all goosebumped up..........and then I let UTube play the next clip...........Callard's try against Brive posted by one Glen Leat once of this Parish.
Now how am I supposed to get on and write those reports!
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