mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
Bath player ratings: Bath spent most of the first quarter in camp Gloucester territory and it looked certain to count, only for three apparent tries cleared following TMO intervention. It felt like a cruel dose of brain rot for Johann van Graan’s side, who were doing everything but scoring. In truth, Gloucester’s defense was outstanding and, as the contest wore on, the hosts simply outplayed Bath around the park. The visitors had their moments, notably thanks to the brilliance of Finn Russell, but never got the rewards their early dominance deserved.
15. Santi Carreras – N/A
A desperate short trip for Argentina playmaker, who left after only 12 minutes. The sight of Carreras later on crutches will be worrying for both Bat and Argentina ahead of the Nations Championship.
14. Louie Hennessey – 6
He thought he had scored in the left corner after a ridiculous offload by Tyler Offiah, only for the TMO to rule that the winger had taken a touch in the build-up. He was busy all the time, defended diligently and made the most of the limited attacking opportunities that came his way.
13. Ollie Lawrence – 5th
He produced a powerful counter-hand that spoiled Gloucester’s possession and showed his usual menace with a half-break carry in the 32nd minute. However, he was denied a potential scoring opportunity when Will Joseph got his hands on a pass and, unusually, was picked off twice in one carry by Jac Morgan. Far from his best robust.
12. Cameron Redpath – 5.5
Along with Russell, he gave Max Llewellyn a torrid night defensively, at least early on. Bath’s midfield attack was at its sharpest when Redpath got to grips and Gloucester often chased shadows as a result, but it was Glaws’ midfield who would have the last laugh as Llewellyn and Will Joseph dominated the closing exchanges.
11. Tyler Offiah – 6
He was starved of meaningful possession for long periods and was never given the space in which to thrive. He had some flashes of brilliance, including a great clearance that almost created a try for Hennessey, but there wasn’t enough of the ball to get to him.
10. Finn Russell – 6.5
Absolute cooking during opening 20 minutes. Gloucester just couldn’t live with him as he pulled the defensive line with ball in hand. Produced a superb pass to Ciaran Donoghue which almost resulted in a goal and constantly created opportunities for those around him. He missed the conversion on a Tuipulotu try and a couple of missed tackles knocked him over slightly, but Bath’s main attacking threat at some distance. A big mistake saw Russell miss a penalty touch, with a potential win still theoretically possible.
9. Ben Spencer – 7
Another player who was hard to fault. His serve was excellent throughout the first half and helped Bath’s offense flow during that period of sustained early pressure. He continued to shut down even as the game began to swing Gloucester’s way.
1. Beno Obano – 6.5
More often than not, he held his own against Gloucester’s stubborn Ciaran Knight. Useful in the field and supported a solid tackle with numerous physical engagements on the loose.
2. Kebueli Tuipulotu – 8
A lively evening. He initially attempted a double move after a line drive before eventually transitioning just before halftime from another catch-and-drive. Effective on both sides of the ball and one of Bath’s standout performers.
3. Archie Griffin – 7
The Welshman looked useful in the loose and lined up opposite Val Rapav Ruskin as the set-piece battle heated up. He was knocked backwards in a collision in the 56th minute, but shrugged it off and made the switch wholeheartedly.
4. Enoch Opoku Gyamfi – 6.5
The hulking 140kg lock was a constant threat with the ball in hand, constantly melting players and carrying real venom. He thought he had scored midway through the first half only for a knock-on to be spotted, while another spilled ball in midfield summed up the frustrating side of his evening. Handling errors limited what could have otherwise been a much bigger score. A phenomenal emerging talent.
5. Charlie Ewels – 5.5
Not his most influential performance. He missed the match alongside Hennessey against Freddie Thomas and never quite imposed himself in proceedings. Involved in the job but lacked the impact Bath needed.
6. Josh Bayliss – 7
A useful night on the line and a crowd on the field. He was rarely in the headlines, but he did a lot of unprecedented work and provided a stable platform in both attack and defence.
7. Guy Pepper – 6
Happy to escape with just a penalty after slowing down Gloucester’s attack in what looked very much like a professional foul. The gamble paid off. He left the pitch with heavy assistance from medics after 63 minutes, a disappointing end to his evening.
8. Miles Reid – 6.5
He carried the ball a lot and consistently got respectable meters with every touch. Its operating speed never dropped and the engine was impressive. Conversely, three sets of penalties undermined Bath’s momentum at crucial moments.
Substitutions – 5
The bench had its moments without dramatically changing Bath’s fortunes. Donoghue made a positive impact after replacing Carreras early on, showing genuine pace and almost finishing after a great pass from Russell. Kieran Verden held his own quite well in scrum time during a tough final period, while old warhorse Ross Molony went through the motions. Ted Hill produced a great save in the 65th minute to keep Gloucester at bay and Dan Frost showed some useful street smarts at the breakdown. Collectively they contributed but Gloucester stayed firmly on top as the pressure mounted late on.
