Bonus-point Bath sink Wasps to move sixth
Bath gave themselves every chance of securing Champions Cup rugby next season after they beat Wasps 29-17 in their Premiership clash on Sunday.
Tries from Jonathan Joseph, Zach Mercer (2) and Joe Cokanasiga saw Bath to a bonus-point success that moves them above Sale up to sixth.
For Wasps their hopes of qualification for Europe’s top table now hang by a thread as a scoreless second-half saw them leave the Rec pointless.
England centre Joseph got the ball rolling for Bath on four minutes when he found a gap 25 metres out, slipping Nizaam Carr for a 7-0 buffer.
However, Wasps responded 10 minutes later thanks to a superb break from Gaby Lovobalavu that saw him pierce the line from a standing start and then get the ball out to Carr for the score. Rob Miller added the conversion to tie things up in what was an ideal response from Wasps.
Wasps almost doubled their tally via Simon McIntyre but for a Will Rowlands knock-on. However, it did not take them long to bounce back as off-the-top ball at a lineout led to Lovobalavu putting on a fine no-look pass that sent Nathan Hughes in for a walkover as they went 14-7 up.
Going over the half-hour mark Bath needed something to lift their spirits and the sight of Anthony Watson side-stepping got the Rec faithful on to their feet. Freddie Burns would chip away at the lead, making it 14-10 from the tee, before Wasps had a Josh Bassett try chalked off.
— Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) May 5, 2019
Despite the disappointment of Bassett’s non-try, the visiting outfit would add three points to their tally via Miller’s boot, as it became 17-10.
That was as good as things got for Wasps though at the Rec as Bath found form, especially during the latter stages, with Mercer impressive.
The comeback began with just 10 minutes remaining as first Jacques van Rooyan was held up over the line before four minutes later, carries aplenty led to Mercer going over from one metre out. With Alex Davies adding the kick, the game was locked up at 17 apiece in a frantic finale.
Bath were needing their big players to step up and Cokanasiga certainly did that when he finished off a score on the left wing to make it 22-17. And despite having a chance to add a late penalty, the hosts wanted their fourth try which came at the death as Mercer crossed to seal the bonus.