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Bath brush aside Saracens to claim final Heineken Champions Cup spot

By PA
Johan van Graan - PA

Bath ran in nine tries in a 61-29 win over a game Saracens second string to snatch the last Heineken Champions Cup spot next season from local rivals Bristol.

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Hooker Tom Dunn scored a hat-trick as Johann van Graan’s resurgent side notched a fourth successive Gallagher Premiership victory, a run that has propelled the club from the bottom of the table to that all-important eighth qualifying place.

The Rec broke into wild celebration as news came through from Ashton Gate that Bristol’s winning margin against Gloucester had not been enough.

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Bath had led within three minutes of kick-off after Miles Reid won a line-out and popped up again to finish off a series of pulverising drives by his team-mates, with Ben Spencer adding the conversion.

Saracens’ youngsters opted for a wider game and soon fashioned an overlap on the right for the speedy Rotimi Segun to touch down an unconverted try.

The home side’s strong mauling game claimed a useful scalp when Saracens loosehead Eroni Mawi was sin-binned for offside and it proved even more costly when Dunn immediately finished off a catch-and-drive from the line-out for his 10th try of the season.

Spencer’s conversion took his side into a 14-5 lead after 12 minutes, but the visitors were giving as good as they got in the early stages.

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While Bath’s approach was narrow and predictable, Saracens made intelligent use of meagre possession and centre Olly Hartley was put clear with a deft pass from fly-half Manu Vunipola, who added the conversion.

England tighthead Will Stuart was close to claiming another try for Bath’s pack but the quick-thinking Josh Hallett scored again at the other end for Saracens, leaving Vunipola with a simple conversion to make it 19-14 to the league leaders.

The lead see-sawed as Beno Obano forced his way over from close range, Spencer converting again, only for hooker Ethan Lewis to finish off a catch-and-drive which gave Saracens a try bonus point and a 24-21 half-time lead.

It was a far more purposeful Bath side that emerged from the break, suddenly favouring quick line-out ball as Saracens’ discipline began to fray and Ted Hill’s surge to the line presented Obano with a try under the posts.

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There were still reminders of Bath’s power in the maul as Dunn found the try-line twice in four minutes to complete his hat-trick and all-but end Saracens challenge.

Although Vunipola weaved 60 metres to score a remarkable virtuoso try for the visitors, Chris Cloete featured twice in a line-out move to restore Bath’s 20-point lead, thanks to Spencer’s conversion.

Orlando Bailey then rounded off a length-of-the-field move and converted his own try, Bath’s eighth, as they passed the 50-mark before Ollie Lawrence raced away to touch down in injury time to complete the scoring.

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

Bath Rugby v Saracens - Gallagher Premiership - Recreation Ground

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