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      Ethan Roots caps fightback to send Exeter into Champions Cup last eight

      news.movim.eu / TheGuardian · Saturday, 6 April - 16:14

    • Exeter 21-15 Bath
    • Exeter win second half 14-3 playing into strong wind

    When a flagpole-bending gale blows in off the Exe estuary rugby becomes a different game. This always felt like a ‘10-point wind’ in terms of the first-half advantage Exeter should have enjoyed so when the hosts turned around 12-7 behind their fate seemed sealed. So much for that theory as the Chiefs staged a stirring comeback to reach the last eight of this fluctuating Champions Cup season.

    Bath will be kicking themselves, having been outscored 14-3 with the elements at their back. Having appeared in total control their composure increasingly deserted them as Exeter’s self-belief grew. If it did not help the visitors that their star fly-half Finn Russell suffered an early ankle injury, this was a game the team in red really should have closed out.

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      RFU uphold Harlequins’ win over Bath despite Irne Herbst sin-bin error

      news.movim.eu / TheGuardian · Sunday, 31 March - 11:52

    • Irne Herbst returned from the sin bin three minutes early
    • Herbst made at least one important tackle in that time

    The Rugby Football Union has upheld Harlequins’ narrow win over Bath despite apologising for an officiating error that saw the lock, Irne Herbst, return to the field early after a yellow card.

    Herbst was sent to the sin bin in the 63rd minute of a Premiership clash that ended 40-36 in Quins’ favour, but came back on after only seven of the prescribed 10 minutes.

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      Smith pulls the strings as Harlequins survive late scare against Bath

      news.movim.eu / TheGuardian · Saturday, 30 March - 17:28

    • Harlequins 40-36 Bath
    • Visitors fight back from 40-3 down but fall just short

    Marcus Smith won a points victory over his fly-half rival Finn Russell as Harlequins bounced back against Bath but the Londoners should have won by an early knockout. After 50 minutes Quins were leading 40-3 and Smith strutting his stuff in the sunshine, but then they nearly threw it all away.

    It would not be Harlequins to keep their foot down for 80 minutes and after delighting a packed Stoop with six tries they conceded five, with the wing Will Muir, the back-row Alfie Barbeary, the replacement scrum-half Louis Schreuder, Elliott Stooke and Ruaridh McConnochie all scoring. Harlequins lost Louis Lynagh and Irne Herbst to the sin-bin and Bath took full toll to get a losing bonus point and a try bonus point. How Harlequins it all was, but the two points Bath take home could be crucial.

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      Cokanasiga’s Bath resurgence sparked by England snub, claims Van Graan

      news.movim.eu / TheGuardian · Monday, 25 March - 19:02

    • Wing left out of England squad for World Cup in France
    • Prolific Cokanasiga helped Bath rise to second in Premiership

    Joe Cokanasiga rediscovered his purpose after his World Cup squad omission according to his Bath director of rugby Johann van Graan, who believes the resurgent wing’s England snub has allowed him to find his form again.

    Cokanasiga, 26, was left out of England’s squad for the World Cup in France but has scored 10 tries in his last nine Premiership matches, including two against Sale on Sunday in a bonus-point win that moved Bath into second place in the table.

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      Bath move up to second in Premiership after late flurry sees off Sale

      news.movim.eu / TheGuardian · Sunday, 24 March - 19:29

    • Bath 42-24 Sale
    • Finn Russell has hand in four of home side’s five tries

    Every point is going to count over the closing furlongs of the Premiership season and, on this evidence, Bath will have reason to thank Finn Russell when the playoff sums are done. Among the Scotland fly-half’s reasons for relocating to the west country was a desire to compete for silverware and, along with Joe Cokanasiga, he was among the key architects of a significant win which elevates his side to second in the table.

    A dominant last quarter from Bath’s forwards was also responsible for inflicting Sale’s sixth successive defeat in all competitions but Russell had a hand in four of his side’s five tries, kicked impressively from all angles and, for good measure, also landed the first drop-goal of his Premiership career off his weaker left foot. A brace of tries for Cokanasiga and one for England’s Ollie Lawrence also rammed home Bath’s overall superiority.

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      George Ford sinks Bath as Sale extend lead at the top with tense win

      news.movim.eu / TheGuardian · Friday, 24 November - 22:45

    • Sale 11-9 Bath
    • Ford’s late penalty proves the difference for hosts

    George Ford kicked a late penalty as Sale extended their lead at the top of the Premiership to five points with an 11-9 win against Bath. The England international landed a mid-range penalty with seven minutes to go as the Sharks eventually broke down a stubborn Bath side to secure their sixth win of the season.

    Jonny Hill scored the only try of a tight game at Salford Stadium, however three penalties from Finn Russell looked to have nicked the points for Bath in an attritional affair. The visitors’ defence almost did enough to earn what would have been a fine away win, with a superb 10-minute defensive stand inside their own 22 the highlight, before Ford stepped up to clinch victory for Sale.

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