Bath struggle past error-stricken Leicester Tigers

Bath’s impressive start to the season continued with a hard-earned 20-15 victory over Leicester in an error-ridden game.

After last week’s opening day 38-16 demolition of reigning champions Northampton, Bath followed it up with a disjointed performance against highly-committed opponents.

Still Bath had two-thirds of possession and territory but it was not until the 73rd minute that they finally killed off Tigers’ rearguard action.

The visitors scored three tries from Will Muir, Tom de Glanville and Guy Pepper. Finn Russell added one conversion with Ben Spencer kicking a penalty.

Jack van Poortvliet and Dan Cole scored Leicester’s tries with Jamie Shillcock converting one and adding a penalty.

A poor box-kick from Leicester skipper Van Poortvliet gave Bath the chance to exert huge early pressure with Tigers’ try-line being continuously battered but the visitors could not make it count.

They turned down two kickable penalties in favour of attacking line-outs but it proved to be the wrong call as twice they were held up over the line.

A 50/22 from fly-half Shillcock relieved the siege and it was now the hosts’ turn to threaten but their momentum was halted when centre Izaia Perese was yellow-carded for a high challenge on Joe Cokanasiga who departed to fail an HIA.

Tigers looked to have overcome the setback when a pass from Hanro Liebenberg sent Ollie Hassell-Collins racing over in the corner but the wing lost possession in the process of touching down.

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However, the first score still went the way of the home side with a penalty from Shillcock giving them a 21st-minute lead.

That advantage was short-lived as Russell made a clean break but the move was faltering until Ollie Lawrence recovered possession for Muir to gallop down the left flank and score.

Perese was able to return from the sin-bin with no further damage done to the scoreboard and in time to see his side regain the lead.

Two poor kicks from Russell put his side under the cosh and Van Poortvliet made him pay by dummying over with Shillcock’s conversion giving Leicester a 10-5 interval lead.

Five minutes after the restart, Muir was helped off with a leg injury so Bath were forced to play fly-half Orlando Bailey and flanker Josh Bayliss on the wing.

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The reshuffle did not stop them producing a well-executed move which ended with De Glanville out-flanking the cover defence to bring the scores level.

A speculative hoof out of defence from Lawrence won a 50/22 and gave Bath an attacking platform from where Pepper finished off a series of forward drives. Russell converted but missed a penalty before Spencer stepped up to kick one and seal victory.

There was just time for Leicester to secure a losing bonus-point when Cole forced his way over from close range.