For The Record - Leicester (GP: R17)

By Bath Rugby

May 13^th, 2025

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Match Roundup: Bristol Bears 36-14 Bath Rugby

An emerging Bath Rugby side featuring two Premiership debutants can be hugely proud of their performance in front of more than 50,000 fans at the Principality Stadium in a 36-14 defeat to Bristol Bears.

With starter Jasper Spandler and second-half replacement Will Jeanes getting their first league appearances for the Blue. Black and White, tries from Ciaran Donoghue and Ewan Richards kept this a tight affair between the two West Country rivals.

With Cardiff's Principality Stadium buzzing with supporters of both sides for ‘Big Day Out’, the game started at a decent pace after the pre-match fireworks.

First, Bristol threatening the Bath defence in the opening minutes before the visitors came back with some decent territory.

With Bristol desperately defending their try line, Max Lahiff was sent to the bin in the 13th minute following a series of penalties by the home side.

Bath took advantage of the extra man in the 17th minute when Joe Cokanasiga burst through and found Ciaran Donoghue who went in under the posts. Donoghue converting his own score for a 0-7 lead.

Benhard Janse van Rensburg was then sent to join Lahiff in the bin for taking out Josh Bayliss in the air in the 19th minute.

With Lahiff back on the pitch, Bears got on the board with a Gabriel Ibitoye try in the 27th minute followed by a Rich Lane score on 32 minutes as Bristol were back to full strength.

Gabriel Oghre added a third try for Bristol on the stroke of half-time, converted by AJ MacGinty to give the home side a 19-7 lead at the break.

Bristol scored their bonus point try in the 44th minute through Fitz Harding, converted by MacGinty.

Bath were next on the scoreboard in the 55th minute when captain Richards punched a huge hole in Bristol's defence to score under the posts, converted by Donoghue.

Bristol saw their third and fourth yellows of the game in quick succession when Joe Batley and then Viliame Mata were sent to the bin in the 59th and 61st minutes.

Despite their advantage, Bath were unable to capitalise and Will Capon and Mata added Bristol's fifth and six tries of the afternoon with the final whistle coming soon after to close out the game.

Next Saturday, Rec Fest returns for a bumper matchday experience for everyone coming to The Rec to watch Bath Rugby welcome Leicester Tigers as the Blue, Black and White host their last home game of the regular season (kick-off 17:30).

With so much to see, do and enjoy on the day for all the family, not least some top-class rugby action, it's a game you won't want to miss!

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Bath Rugby Supporters Club

Few will disagree that we as the Bath Rugby faithful are now living through the most exciting and optimistic few months in the professional era. We sit a week away from another big day in Cardiff and tantalisingly the secured home playoff waits around the corner.

At times like this it’s important we enjoy May and June and exercise ‘an attitude of gratitude’!

We’re very grateful for all our fantastic members that have supported our away trips this season. A bumper trip to Cardiff last weekend will be superseded by our biggest ever numbers rolling over the bridge next Friday night. Thanks for choosing to travel with us.

The privilege of enjoying the moment and feeling optimistic for the future was typified last Saturday by our Skipper Ewan Richards and his team. The confident, professional and passionate performance we saw in the Principality is what we are now grateful for in the JVG era.

Let’s all enjoy today and hopefully everything that waits for us around the corner.

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Andy Warren BRSC

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