By Jason Harris
November 14 2005

Saracens failed to take advantage of a Bath side shorn of no fewer than nine internationals, drawing 12-12 at the Rec on Sunday. Four Glen Jackson penalties were all Sarries had to show from a game where they dominated for long periods, but could not press home their advantage. In spite of the lead changning hands four times, Sarries were the side in the ascendancy, but their ineptitude and Bath's cluelessness behind the scrum combined to provide the 10,348 spectators with a truly woeful contest memorable for only two incidents.

Both involved Sarries players and the first; the sin-binning of Cobus Visagie on 20 minutes for stamping on Bath and former Sarries half back Nick Walsh, could see the South African international cited and, possibly, disciplined.

Visagie's stamp enraged outgoing Bath Head Coach John Connolly and the Sarries prop will have to wait another 48 hours to find out whether the yellow card issued by referee Ashley Rowden is deemed sufficient punishment by the Citing Officer.

The second came just before half time when Saracens fullback and the league's leading try scorer, Dan Scarbrough, put down what looked like a scoring pass from Richard Haughton, whose incision into the line to break through the first tackle was a rare flicker of light in a dull contest. Scarbrough muffed the chance and with it an easy run-in for what could well have been the score that put Saracens just out of the home side's reach.

Bath kept things close throughout with three penalties from outside half Andy Dunne and a drop goal from Mike Stephenson on debut; a kick that was about as ugly as the rest of the match.

Steve Diamond was unhappy with Rowden's interpretation of the law as Bath stopped the Sarries driving maul on several occasions and felt that Bath could have been punished more severely for their transgressions. "We watch the referees on a regular basis. They should be watching the teams as well" said Diamond after the game.

Frankly, after Sarries failed to take advantage of a depleted side living on mere scraps of possesssion, perhaps the Saracens Director of Rugby should look at some of his players who contrived somehow to drop two vital points against a side decimated by injuries and international call-ups.

Bath were there forthe taking and, for sure, will be the less disappointed of the two sides after a most disappointing match.

SCORERS: Bath: Penalty goals: Dunne 3 (19min, 33, 64). Dropped goal: Stephenson (72). Saracens: Penalty goals: Jackson 4 (17, 40+5, 54, 78).

SCORING SEQUENCE (Bath first): 0-3, 3-3, 6-3, 6-6 (half-time), 6-9, 9-9, 12-9. 12-12.

BATH: L Best; J Maddock, A Higgins, A Crockett, M Stephenson; A Dunne, N Walshe (rep: A Williams, 29); D Barnes, P Dixon, D Bell, R Fidler (sin-bin: 40+4-49), P Short (rep: J Scaysbrook, 63), A Beattie, M Lipman (rep: G Delve, 63), Z Feaunati.

SARACENS: D Scarbrough; R Haughton, M Bartholomeusz, K Sorrell, P Bailey (rep: T Vaikona, 56); G Jackson, K Bracken (rep: A Dickens, 61); K Yates (rep: B Broster, 68), M Cairns, C Visagie (sin-bin: 21-37), S Raiwalui (rep: K Chesney, 46), I Fullarton (rep: S Raiwalui, 61), H Vyvyan, D Seymour (rep: B T Russell, 79), B Skirving (rep: B Broster, 26-37).

Referee: A Rowden.

Attendance: 10,348.