Bath had won six from the last seven played, and were boosted by the return of Moody, David Wilson and Matt Banahan, while Saints were smarting slightly from losing to Saracens at Franklin’s Gardens last weekend. With no international rugby to watch, the world of rugby’s attention was firmly on the match at the Rec between two stalwarts of the English game.

The kick off was delayed by 15 minutes, with no explanation given, although it didn’t take a genius to figure out that because the football on ESPN had gone to extra time, our match on ESPN had to be delayed. There were certainly a few mutinous mumbles in the crowd.

Although the first attack belonged to Bath, Northampton started the game the better. They remained in the Bath 22 for a good while and showed some good attacking lines, until the forward pack bundled themselves towards the try line. Referee Wayne Barnes went to the TMO to decide if a try had been scored, and after a lengthy look, he decided that the ball touched the line, but had been knocked on.

From this point, Bath began to turn up the heat. After Bath cleared their lines, they began to attack, with a notable move seeing Tom Biggs chip a ball up the line to himself, setting up a Bath lineout.

Matt Banahan breaks through the Northampton defence

A few minutes later, after a Northampton scrum saw the ball in Bath hands, Saints were penalised for an infringement at the ruck, and Olly Barkley sent the ball through the posts to put the first points of the game on the board. This should have been wiped out within a few moves, when Luke Watson was penalised for not rolling away, and Stephen Myler had a fairly easy chance at three points, but he missed.

A Bath attack seemed to be going only sideways until Stuart Hooper made a break up the centre of the pitch, setting up Banahan to sneak up the right wing to go over the line for the first try of the match. The conversion from Barkley made the score 10-0.

Bath made multiple breaks after the first try, including some good play from Matt Carraro, and a chip intended for Banahan from the boot of Michael Claassens.

In making a typically speedy break up the left wing, Tom Biggs was fairly obviously high tackled by Greg Tonks, who received 10 minutes in the bin for his troubles. This was something of an opening of the floodgates for Bath, and within a few minutes Carraro had scored a try which was set up by Banahan; the England wing made an astonishingly strong break up the middle of the pitch, sucking in Saints defenders as if he were a magnet, and flipping a pass to Carraro who had been hanging on his left shoulder. The conversion made the score 17-0.

Matt Carraro scores a try under the posts

Myler put three points on the board for the visitors a few minutes before half time after Bath were penalised in the scrum. He had a chance a few minutes later, in the last play of the half, to double his score as Bath were penalised again, but the ball went off the posts, and the score as the two teams ran in at half time was 17-3.

The most notable event of the opening of the second half was a break from Duncan Bell, who, unless my eyes deceived me, clenched his fist in the air in triumph before he was brought down to earth by Saints defence. An attack went on for a fair while, but had lost a lot of ground. Claassens, from the base of the ruck, spotted a chance for Banahan to grab his second try when he broke from the ruck, sucked in defenders, and passed the ball to Banahan for an extremely easy run in. Banahan put the ball under the posts and Barkley converted, stretching the score to 24-3.

There was a lengthy pause after Joe Ansboro’s head smashed into Butch James’ shoulder-not the comfiest place to be- and the Scot received attention. He had to be subbed and walked off looking pretty woozy.

Bath made another crashing, smashing break through Luke Watson and Butch James, who thundered up the centre of the pitch, pushing Northampton defenders away from them. The ball went through quick Bath hands to the left wing to Matt Banahan who struck through the defensive line for his third try. After the conversion, Bath lead 31-3.

After this score Bath, who had been dominant, lost their shape, perhaps because of the substitutes who came on, including Lewis Moody. Moody went on to smash and tackle as expected and will surely feature for England next week.

Northampton rather improved at this point, and were camped on Bath’s line for a while, really testing the Bath defence. Tonks, who had been off the pitch for one of Banahan’s earlier scores, lunged over the line for a well deserved try for the visitors. Reihana missed the conversion, leaving Saints with eight points to Bath’s 31.

David Flatman prepares to scrummage

Quite a few waves of Northampton attack were nullified by Bath managing to turn the ball over fairly regularly. Bath added another seven points through Sam Vesty after David Barnes nearly went over the line and Jack Cuthbert missed a gilt edged chance. There were many Bath players lined up to score this try and Vesty took the decision to surge forward. The conversion took the score to 38-8, which was the final score.

This was a very impressive display from Bath, even bearing in mind that Northampton were missing England players such as Chris Ashton. Bath seemed more positive, more physical and more decisive than in recent weeks, even in their winning displays.

Man of the Match has to be Matt Banahan, who scored three tries and set up a fourth. His strength really showed today and it was the sort of game we see glimpses all the time, but haven’t seen consistently recently. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts ahead of Cueto against France on that display.

Other players worthy of a mention are Taylor, Biggs, Carraro and Abendanon, all who impressed. A bonus point win against Northampton Saints is a great result and is the fourth Premiership win in a row for the West Country side.

Photos by Patrick Khachfe | Onside Images