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Match Report: Bath Rugby 31-39 Wasps

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Match summary – Bath Rugby 31-39 Wasps

Bath Rugby took away a try-bonus point from a game which saw them make a much improved effort in the second half, but Wasps held on to victory at the death. 

In a game of two halves, the visitors raced into 25-0 lead before Matt Gallagher’s converted try on his home debut just before half-time. 

Jacob Umaga added two penalties late in the first half but it was Bath who rallied and showed a lot of fight to score a further three tries through Tom Dunn (2) and Jonathan Joseph.  

Piers Francis’ penalty made it five-point game late on as Bath pushed to win the game but a last-gasp kick from Umaga meant they had to settle for just one point.


TEAM NEWS

Johann van Graan made eight changes to his starting XV with a new half-back pairing in the form of Louis Schreuder and Orlando Bailey both getting their first starts of the season. 

Also getting their first run out of 2022/23 at were Miles Reid, Max Ojomoh and Quinn Roux – the latter making his Blue, Black and White debut.

Wasps put both Willis brothers – Jack and Tom – in their back row, while England international Joe Launchbury continued as captain.

Bath Rugby: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Will Muir, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Louis Schreuder; 1 Lewis Boyce, 2 Tom Dunn ©, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Dave Attwood, 5 Josh McNally, 6 Miles Reid, 7 Chris Cloete, 8 Richard de Carpentier

Replacements: 16 Tom Doughty, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 GJ van Velze, 21 Max Green, 22 Piers Francis, 23 Josh Bayliss

Wasps: 15 Jacob Umaga, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Sam Spink, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Will Porter; 1 Tom West, 2 Dan Frost, 3 Biyi Alo, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Nizaam Carr, 7 Jack Willis, 8 Tom Willis

Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 John Ryan, 19 Tim Cardall, 20 Ben Morris, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Ryan Mills, 23 Zach Kibirige


FIRST HALF

Bath started the game brightly and were the better side in the first 10 minutes and brought physicality in both attack and defence – captain Dunn and Miles Reid leading from the front. 

But it was Umaga who grabbed the game’s opening points with two penalties in as many minutes and three tries in quick succession earned Wasps a solid scoreline advantage. 

Josh Bassett collected his own kick to dot down in the corner before Jack Willis’ close range burrow was confirmed by the TMO. Scrum-half Will Porter finished off a smart handling move to make it 25-0 on the half-hour mark. 

Just shy of the halfway mark, Bath did manage to string an impressive phase together to cross the whitewash. Orlando Bailey spotted a gap and sent a rampaging Will Muir on his way and the wing fed Gallagher in for his first try in Bath colours.

Umaga further added to his tally with two penalties as the first-half clocked ticked down.

SECOND HALF

Schreuder was unfortunate to be sin binned early in the second half and Wasps made the most of their man advantage with Bassett crossing for his second.

However, the Blue, Black and White were cheered on by The Rec in full voice and captain Dunn soon came through the back of a well-driven maul to score Bath’s second.  

Bailey converted with aplomb to close the gap and having found some momentum, and with the impact players putting their stamp on the game, Joseph soon came crashing over the line with a bit of neat footwork to score next to the posts.

Holding off Wasps with hard hits and strong carries, Dunn scored once again from the back of a maul, earning Bath a try bonus point, and hope of a comeback was well and truly in the air.

Francis put Bath in with a chance of securing victory with a penalty, making it 36-31 with moments to play, but with the clock ticking down, Umaga snatched away a second Bath point with a penalty to end the game at 39-31 to the away side.

An encouraging show of fight in the second 40 and something to build for Bath as they head to London Irish in Round 4.


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Premiership

INJURY UPDATE | George Ford

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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.

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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Gloucester

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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO). 

Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men. 

In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy. 

The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont. 

With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8. 

Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.  

Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter. 

Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu. 

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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Saracens

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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports). 

Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins. 

With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy. 

In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews. 

Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8. 

The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.  

Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark. 

The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks Starting lineup: 

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison. 

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