After a disappointing result last week to Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park, it was important for Bath Rugby to start strong and overpower the opposition whilst improving their set-piece performance.
Doing just that, Bath Rugby secured an emphatic 33-17 victory away to Worcester Warriors at Sixways Stadium - dominating at scrum time and getting plenty of go forward at the driving line-out.
All 23-men wearing the Blue, Black and White put their bodies on the line, putting in a huge defensive display for 80-minutes and being rewarded with five tries to Worcester's two.
Zach Mercer (22'), Max Wright (29'), Josh McNally (40+'), Elliott Stooke (53') and Semesa Rokoduguni (58') all crossed over the line to secure Bath Rugby a bonus-point victory and to finally kick-start their 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership campaign.
The game was not all easy going, after Bath Rugby lost both Josh Matavesi and Rhys Priestland to concussion within the opening 10 minutes. We wish them both well and hope they have a speedy recovery.
However, their kicking duties were not missed, with Ben Spencer stepping up to knock over 4 out of the 5 conversions leading the result little in doubt.
Club history was made in the game, when a young Ethan Staddon ran on to the pitch in the 68th minute.
In that moment, he became the youngest ever player to wear the Blue, Black and White at just 18 years and 156 days old.
In his post-match interview, he thanked his Bath Rugby Academy coaches Ryan Davies, Mark Lilley and Louis Messer for their belief in him alongside his grassroots club Dorchester RFC for his floodlit evenings as a young boy playing and developing.
This will surely be a moment he will never forget.
Director of Rugby Stuart Hooper and Head Coach Neal Hatley will expect the same intensity and focus in training this week building up to the first Heineken Champions Cup fixture at home to the Scarlets.
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