Bath Rugby 40
London Irish 16
Fixture Type: Aviva Premiership
Venue: Recreation Ground
Match Date: Sat 16 Feb 2013, Kick Off: 14:15
Referee: David Rose
Assistant Referee: Andrew Pearce
Assistant Referee: Andrew Watson
Bath dominated the London Irish forward pack this afternoon to come away with a bonus point victory in front of 11,000 supporters at the Rec.
Nick Abendanon, Nathan Catt, Anthony Perenise and a penalty try saw the hosts prevail 40-16 in a bonus point triumph that sees London Irish still languishing one point behind London Welsh in the Aviva Premiership.
Irish had three players sent to the sin bin at crucial times and were unable to hold the hosts out during these periods.
The highlight of the afternoon for London Irish came on 64 minutes when Jack Moates scored his first Premiership try for the club. Marland Yarde took a quick throw in to Ian Humphreys. The fly half dummied to kick and run past two defenders before passing back to Yarde who galloped clear, beating four defenders in the process, before passing to Jack Moates who fended off Tom Heathcote before diving in at the corner. Ian Humphreys conversion went over to cut the deficit, with 15 minutes remaining, to seven points.
Bath had earlier crossed for two first half tries. Firstly referee David Rose went under the posts to award a penalty try after Topsy Ojo tackled winger Tom Biggs high in the act of scoring. The Irish winger spent 10 minutes in the sin bin and within that time Nick Abendanon crossed for Bath’s second try.
Shortly after the Moates try Irish had two further players sent to the sin bin and Bath were able to cross for two late tries.
London Irish hosts London Wasps next Sunday in the Aviva Premiership at Madejski Stadium.
Score sequence (London Irish first): 3-0, 6-0, 6-3, 6-10, 6-17, 9-17, 9-20, 9-23, 16-23, 16-30, 16-33, 16-40
Scorers: Bath: Penalties: Donald (19), Heathcote (44, 54, 75); Tries: Penalty (32), Abendanon (37), Catt (78), Perenise (80); Conversions: Heathcote (4); London Irish: Tries: Moates (64); Conversion: Humphreys; Penalties: Homer (11, 13, 40)
Bath Rugby
15. Nick Abendanon; 14.Horacio Agulla (rep: Semesa Rokoduguni, 75; 13. Matt Banahan; 12. Kyle Eastmond; 11. Tom Biggs; 10. Stephen Donald (rep: Tom Heathcote, 22); 9. Peter Stringer; 1. Paul James (rep: Nathan Catt, 75); 2. Rob Webber (rep: Ross Batty, 75); 3. David Wilson (rep: Anthony Perenise, 64; 4. Dominic Day (rep: Will Spencer, 64); 5. Dave Attwood; 6, Francois Louw (Captain) (rep: Matt Gilbert, 29); 7. Carl Fearns; 8. Ben Skirving
Replacements: 16. Ross Batty; 17. Nathan Catt; 18. Anthony Perenise; 19. Will Spencer; 20. Mat Gilbert; 21. Chris Cook; 22. Tom Heathcote; 23. Semesa Rokoduguni
London Irish
15. Tom Homer; 14. Topsy Ojo; 13. Guy Armitage; 12. Shane Geraghty (rep: Steven Shingler, 78); 11. Marland Yarde; 10. Ian Humphreys; 9. Pat Phibbs (rep: Jack Moates, 51); 1. Max Lahiff (rep: Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 65); 2. Scott Lawson (rep: Mike Mayhew, 51); 3. Halani Aulika (rep: Leo Halavatau, 46); 4. George Skivington (rep: Kieran Low, 78); 5. Bryn Evans (Captain); 6. Matt Garvey (rep: Jamie Gibson 51); 7. Jebb Sinclair (rep: Jon Fisher, 55); 8. Ofisa Treviranus
Replacements: 16. Mike Mayhew; 17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa; 18. Leo Halavatau; 19. Jamie Gibson; 20. Kieran Low; 21. Jon Fisher; 22. Steven Shingler; 23. Jack Moates
Referee: David Rose
Attendance: 11, 879
