Bath player ratings v Exeter: ‘Dude with the glorious explosion of curls’ delivers before hosts left relying on ‘last-gasp winning score’
Alfie Barbeary dives over for his early Bath try on an afternoon where Cameron Redpath, inset, also impressed
Following Bath’s last-gasp 33-26 victory over Exeter in the Gallagher PREM, here is how we rated Johann van Graan charges.
Bath player ratings v Exeter
15 Santi Carreras: One of seven alterations to the starting XV that got Pollock-ed last weekend by Northampton’s second-half surge, he got on the scoresheet on 14 minutes but couldn’t get across in time just before the interval to prevent Olly Woodburn from scoring. 5
14 Henry Arundell: Six tries in eight PREM starts before this, but none here. Passed a HIA after getting smacked in the air by Campbell Ridl, who received the 20-minute red card that blew this contest apart early doors, but his contribution was minimal on his return. 5
13 Ollie Lawrence: One of the best bang-for-buck signings of the Van Graan era, the midfielder celebrated his 50th appearance by dotting down the fourth try, securing his team the fastest try bonus point in this season’s PREM. 6
12 Cameron Redpath: Another call-up after last weekend’s home crash, his enthusiastic play helped to get the Bath attack purring in that critical 20 minutes when Chiefs’ defence was a man down. Produced a memorable dance for Ben Spencer to score on 48 minutes only for obstruction to cancel it out. Went on to feature prominently in defence. 7
11 Will Muir: First start of the season after October ankle surgery, his crisp 58-minute effort was that of a winger who hadn’t been away on any lay-off. Got up in the air without hesitation, didn’t shirk his tackles and was a painful handful in the carry. Just ask Stephen Varney, who exited after feeling his full force. 7
PREM giants make late bid to hijack Sharks deal for gargantuan Springbok in wake of Siya Kolisi exit
10 Finn Russell: Beaten in his last two Bath starts, but there was ultimately no dubious hat-trick despite Exeter’s compelling comeback to draw level at 26-all on 74 minutes. The numerical advantage caused by Ridl’s banishment saw Russell unleash a bag of tricks that began with the lovely territory-gaining kick through the cover that was the genesis for the opening try. Struggled in a very different contest with Exeter on top, but his composure was crucial in his team’s grandstand finish. 7
9 Ben Spencer: The skipper contributed just as snappily as his half-back partner, with his high tempo getting Bath cleanly away to their fast start. His best moment? That sublime pass that gave Lawrence his unchecked stroll over the line. 7
The forwards
8 Alfie Barbeary: First league start since the mid-October trip to Leicester for the dude with the glorious explosion of curls, his robust stopping of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was the catalyst for the turnover that became the foundation for his 12th-minute score. Constantly ball hungry, there were a few moments when his accuracy wasn’t what it needed to be. But he gave it socks for 58 exhausting minutes and was named the sponsor’s player of the match. 7
7 Guy Pepper: A quiet-ish afternoon by his flourishing high standards. Looked the part when Bath were in the ascendancy and an early man up, but the then graft became laboured despite a double-figure tackle count and he was hooked with 22 minutes remaining. 5
6 Ted Hill: Sat opposition players down for fun in the collision and also demonstrated numerous other USPs, such as a first-half kick ahead from halfway to the 22 that had the Exeter defence scrambling. Said so much about his influence that he was the only back row starter who played the full game. 7
5 Ross Molony: The ex-Leinster lock’s big engine revved into the New Year, and he was a bundle of energy when Bath accelerated to their try bonus point. What he says goes – look at his protestations to get the backs involved in the maul for the Lawrence try. Then became the glue player in defence to ensure the Exeter comeback only achieved parity and not the lead. 7
4 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi: Club debut for the promising Italian recruit, he comfortably showed in his 48 minutes how he likes to put himself about and he certainly wasn’t shy about getting stuck into his tackling duties either. Could have been more productive in the defensive maul, though, and it was his obstruction that scrubbed off the Spencer try. 5
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
3 Vilikesa Sela: We’re starting to see more of the 19-year-old involved with Will Stuart cruelly injured. His highlight across his 58 minutes was the winning of a scrum penalty five metres from his team’s try line when Scott Sio collapsed. 6
2 Tom Dunn: A bit like Pepper, his high standards weren’t evident here when Exeter began their terrific comeback and it became inevitable that he would be sacrificed when Van Graan gambled the house on the strength of the six-two bench. 5
1 Beno Obano: Just over six minutes had gone when he burrowed over the Exeter line for the game’s opening score, but his not driving straight scrum penalty on 27 minutes was the initial invitation for the visitors to initiate their comeback. Gave what he had for 64 minutes, but his team’s momentum had long since evaporated by the time of that departure. 6
Replacements: Bath were forced to plunge in early, Louie Hennessey coming on for Arundell’s HIA and he gave the assist pass for the Carreras try. The bench’s major moment, though, was the decision to send on five players together on 58 minutes and then another sub six minutes later with Bath without a score since the 20th-minute conversion of the Lawrence try. The energy needed didn’t initially materialise, as Exeter rousingly reeled in the gap with two tries, but the hosts eventually won it at the death with sub Arthur Green coming up with the last-gasp score. 6
