Late penalty sends University of Bath to first BUCS Super Rugby defeat in 11 months after dramatic derby at Hartpury
The University of Bath’s excellent Men’s BUCS Super Rugby winning run came to an end as Hartpury kicked an 80th-minute penalty to secure a narrow 24-21 victory in a rollercoaster West Country derby.
It was a frustrating evening for the defending champions, who had raced into a 14-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes and then got back on level terms after Hartpury had turned the game around.
England U20 flanker Tate Williams made his first start of the season for Bath and hooker Evan Gallagher and winger Sam Winters returned to the starting XV, while Harrison Osborne, Henry Veale and Alex Stubbs were named in a BUCS Super Rugby match-day squad for the first time.
Both teams had won their opening two matches of the season but it was Bath who looked most likely to extend that run after scoring two excellent tries in the opening minutes, both converted by James Linegar.
The first came when in-form full-back Jack Wood collected a clearance inside his 22 and surged through the Hartpury defence before sending the supporting Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi over the line, then Williams showed speed and strength to shrug off three attempted tackles before touching down.
Hooker Kealen Freeman-Price pulled a try back for the hosts in the 18th minute but Bath remained on top and were looking to extend their lead from another expansive team move on the stroke of half-time when Krystof Wood intercepted a pass and raced over for Hartpury’s second.
Math Jones added the extras to level the scores at 14-14 and it was Hartpury who forged ahead six minutes into the second period when winger Troy Sullivan found space to score another converted try.
Bath applied huge pressure in search of the next score and it told in the 68th minute when the ball was worked to Woods who went over for a third successive game, Linegar’s conversion levelling the scores.
Both teams had chances in the closing stages but it was Hartpury who found the winner through Ethan Patterson’s close-range penalty before holding off strong Bath pressure during seven minutes of additional time.
Next up for Bath is another derby fixture, this time against Exeter at the Team Bath Sports Training Village on Wednesday 14th October (6.30pm kick-off, entry by ticket only).
Match stats
Hartpury starting XV: 1 Harry Love, 2 Kealen Freeman-Price, 3 Harry Wright, 4 Will May, 5 Lewis Golding, 6 Cameron Murray (c), 7 Jack Gilbert, 8 Olly Allport; 9 Spencer Huntley, 10 Math Jones, 11 Troy Sullivan, 12 Gio Nostro, 13 Barty Hunt, 14 Krystof Wood, 15 Haydn Lewis. Impact players: 16 Ruben Cummins, 17 Kaiden Corbett, 18 Mason Ford, 19 Josh Grigg-Pettitt, 20 Dan Bartlett, 21 Grady Alford, 22 Tomos Evans, 23 Ethan Patterson.
Tries: Freeman-Price, Wood, Hunt.
Conversions: Jones 3.
Penalties: Patterson.
University of Bath starting XV: 1 Jacob Yates (cc), 2 Evan Gallagher, 3 Diamond Ayiehfor, 4 Isaac Sprenger, 5 Rory McKnight, 6 Alex Yeabsley, 7 Tate Williams, 8 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi; 9 Ollie Lewis, 10 James Linegar, 11 Sam Winters, 12 Jamie Howick, 13 Bailey Cutts, 14 Harry Walker, 15 Jack Woods. Impact players: 16 Harrison Osborne, 17 Henry Veale, 18 Henry Mountford, 19 Evan Jones, 20 Connor Treacey (cc), 21 Alex Stubbs, 22 Max Hooper, 23 Will Keylock (cc).
Tries: Opoku-Gyamfi, Williams, Woods.
Conversions: Linegar 3.
