Bath give new life to their Champions Cup hopes

Montpellier 5 Bath 30

Sports Staff
Saturday 06 December 2014 00:34 GMT
Comments
George Ford kicked 15 points as Bath strolled to victory
George Ford kicked 15 points as Bath strolled to victory (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Bath made light of terrible conditions in the south of France last night, rolling to an easy victory to keep their European Rugby Champions Cup hopes on course.

The visitors, who had lost their first two games of the new tournament against Toulouse and Glasgow gained 15 points from the increasingly assured boot of George Ford and a powerful performance from their pack as Montpellier lost their discipline in the mud and driving rain.

With the game safely in Bath’s pocket, Sam Burgess was brought on for the last half-hour for his second appearance for the West Country club and once again made his presence felt with two bullocking runs and a huge hit.

Henry Thomas, the tight head prop, scored the visitors’ first try, crossing the whitewash in the 36th minute to set the tone for the rest of the contest.

It had looked like being a tricky evening for Bath, however Montpellier conceded a penalty try before three home players were banished to the sin-bin for indiscretions near their own try-line. No 8 Leroy Houston scored Bath’s third to give them renewed hope of making the knockout stages.

Montpellier: Fall (Sicard 62); Artru, Ranger, W Olivier, Dupont; Selponi (Pelissie 58), Paillaugue (Irabiren 71); Watremez, T Bianchin (Geli 41), Cilliers (Atoub 41), Tchale-Watchou, Privat (Ouedraogo 63), Battut (Donnelly 63), Galletier (Bianchin 52), Tulou. Replacements not used: Leleimalefaga.

Bath: Watson; Agulla, Joseph, Eastmond (Burgess 53), Banahan; Ford, Cook; Auterac (James 50), Batty (Webber 50), Thomas (Wilson 52), Hooper (Attwood 54), Day, Sisi, Fearns, Houston. Replacements not used: Faosiliva, Stringer, Devoto.

Referee: I Davies (Wales)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in