Bath came back from a disappointing first half to progress through to the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 31-22 win over Saracens; they will face fellow English club Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals at home next weekend
Last Updated: 04/04/26 6:24pm
Joe Cokanasiga scored Bath’s second try to turn around the game in the second half
Bath turned to a quartet of their England backs to turn the tide as they edged into the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 31-22 victory over Saracens.
Trailing 10-0 at the interval at the Recreation Ground, the hosts burst into life with tries from Henry Arundell, Joe Cokanasiga, Ben Spencer and Ollie Lawrence as they set up a last-eight appointment at home against Northampton.
Spencer’s 59th-minute finish of an audacious attack that began on their own try-line looked to be pivotal but the determined Saracens refused to throw in the towel and were only truly beaten when Arundell ran in his second try in the 80th minute.
Bath’s scrum needed rescuing after a humbling first half with the introduction of prop Thomas du Toit making the difference with the South African tighthead also being named man of the match.
Unlike their visit to the Recreation Ground a fortnight ago when they were overwhelmed 62-15, it was clear Saracens meant business from the start as they halted an early Bath onslaught including holding up a forward drive over the line.
Having proved their mettle in defence, they surged ahead in the 14th minute when Charlie Bracken deceived Cokanasiga with a dummy from the base of a maul and raced over.
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Bath’s scrum was beginning to buckle and they were also suffering at the breakdown, but the visitors were their own worst enemies at times with Fergus Burke failing to find touch with a penalty.
Rhys Carre rampaged into space and Noah Caluori almost crossed in the left corner before Guy Pepper was shown a yellow card for cynically heading the ball away on the floor.
So many elements of Saracens’ game were firing but the points they deserved proved elusive with an Owen Farrell penalty their only other score in a half they had controlled.
Henry Arundell scored Bath’s first try
To punish their wastefulness, Arundell sprinted across after being released by Charlie Ewels early in the second half and then Cokanasiga scooped up a loose ball to weave over after Lawrence had carried into space.
The tries sandwiched a dramatic reversal in the scrum with Beno Obano sin-binned for a cumulation of penalties before Du Toit forced a penalty, providing Cokanasiga with the platform to score.
Bath led for the first time and then produced the highlight of the afternoon by stopping Saracens from scoring by dislodging the ball from Andy Onyeama-Christie as he ran at the line before strking with a move that began from their own whitewash.
Cokanasiga escaped the 22, found Alfie Barbeary who waited for Spencer and the England scrum-half had gas to finish from long range.
Bath will play Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals
Maro Itoje and then Ivan van Zyl burst through the breakdown and Saracens were far from done as a period of pressure ended with Max Malins touching down in the left corner.
But Harry Wilson was the next to see yellow for a dangerous tackle on Miles Reid and soon after Lawrence crashed over from close range before Caluori replied for Saracens, but Bath ultimately had the final say at the death through Arundell.
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