Bath thump Newcastle to seal top spot and home semi

Gallagher Premiership

Bath 55 (17)

Carr-Smith, Roux, Underhill, Emens 2, Hennessey, Redpath Cons: Donoghue 4, Russell 2 Pens: Donoghue

Newcastle 19 (12)

In a dominant 55-19 victory over bottom side Newcastle Falcons, leaders Bath secured a top-tier Premiership spot and a play-off semi-final.

In a sluggish opening full of penalties, debutant Ciaran Donoghue put Newcastle in front before Cameron Neild’s drive from the maul brought them within touching distance.

Following Louis Hennessey’s break, Tom Carr-Smith crossed overuntouched before Connor Doherty responded, cutting both teams to 14 men.

With three games remaining, the home team made a strong start to ensure top spot in the Premiership with a bonus-point win.

With his debut in the top flight, Donoghue made his try-of-the-season debut by breaking through the Falcons defense and sidestepping the final defender to dot over the line for Bath’s first.

When Falcons’ hooker Jamie Blamire overthrew a line-out, allowing Redpath to capitalize, only for the center to be later declared off-side, the anticipating local crowd assumed the home side had doubled the lead just minutes later.

The Falcons forced themselves back into the game after numerous penalties, with Neild driving over after a maul to add more points.

Shortly after Bath lost Underhill to the sin bin for a high tackle, the home side were unable to extend their lead.

Before Bath draw a penalty, Donoghue slotted it through the posts, the Falcons defeated Bath in their own 22, which was a result of countless phases.

Following Louis Brown’s red card for a high, no-arms tackle on Emens, Louis Hennessey unselfishly fed Carr-Smith to add Bath’s second try before the visitors were reduced to 14 before the visitors were reduced to 14 after the visitors were reduced to 14.

Doherty cutting in on the arc following a line-out throw over the top from Blamire, giving Newcastle a surprise lead shortly after the restart, leaving the Bath defenders fumbling.

However, Bath’s first riposte appeared to have stoked the momentum, which included a flurry of second-half tries.

The fly-half broke through a gap in the middle of the field, sending the second row scurrying towards the line with Falcons defenders helpless in his wake after Donoghue had dictated things in midfield.

After another Donoghue break, Underhill fired his way over for a bonus point try before Emens was only inches away from adding a fifth.

The full-back then scored two tries in succession to finish off his all-action effort.

After Bath’s replacements had slashed into the Falcons’ half, the second came a diving effort in the corner following Donoghue’s downward-wing charge.

Hennessey sprinted up the touchline before diving flamboyantly over the line before being fed by Josh Bayliss, who scored Bath’s seventh try.

Johann van Graan, the head of rugby at Bath, stated to BBC Radio Bristol:

“I believed the 23 today produced some magic moments. Although it wasn’t perfect, it gave us five points and placed us in an unaffordable home semi-final position on the weekend of June 7.

We’ll enjoy tonight and then go back to zero, the club’s proud moment. There are still a lot of things to do between now and then, but I’m proud of everyone involved.

The final defensive set, which defended our line, turned the ball over, saw an opportunity to come and score 100 yards down the other end, was the one he was most proud of during the match. That, in my opinion, sums up this team’s toughness. It’s never finished until it’s finished.

Alan Dickens, the senior coach for the Newcastle Falcons, stated to BBC Radio Newcastle:

Coming here is a challenge we’ll look forward to, enjoy, and relish the week, as I said after the game last week.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t quite win that fourth try.”

The response they gave the next 15 minutes to actually go in front was excellent, even though we were 17-5 down and had the red card.

Replacements: Du Toit, Griffin, Bayliss, Pepper, Schreuder, Russell, and Tuipolotu.

Underhill, Redpath, and Bayliss receive the yellow card.

Newcastle: Brown, Hearle, Doherty, Clark, Clark, Stevenson, Connon, Stuart, Brocklebank, Blamire, Palframan, Hawkins, De Chaves, Lockwood, Neild, Chick, and others.

Fletcher, Rewcastle, McCallum, Usher, Leatherbarrow, Pepper, Spencer, and Arnold are the replacements.

Brown receives a red card.