7 mins. Alfie Barbeary revs up for one of his trademark boom-boom carries from the drop-out return, but he slips over as he and Genge are about to come together with such force it could’ve created a singularity that would swallow the entire west country. Instead it’s a knock-on, which is probably best for all concerned.
Bath v Bristol: Premiership rugby union semi-final – live | Premiership
Published: 2025-06-06 19:58:38 | Views: 19
Key events
4 mins. From the lineout the Bath forwards set to work after a big carry by Ted Hill moves them to within ten metres. The try looks inevitable but Bristol do a great job to get under the ball and hold it up over the line which will allow the Bears to kick a long drop-kick from under the posts to relieve the early pressure.
2 mins. The ball is received by the home side which they recycle and despatch to touch with 0% nonsense. On the return by Bristol, MacGinty is legally clattered by Pepper and that sparks some shoving by Genge on the Bath backrower. The ref toots his disciplinary flute and awards a penalty against the prop.
Kick Off!
AJ MacGinty boots the ball deep into Bath territory and we’re off and running
The officials for today are
It’s a lovely if breezy evening in Bath as the players head out of the tunnel into a full house.
Pre-match reading
Leicester face Sale tomorrow in the second semi, and George Ford has been mulling on the game and plenty of other things.
Chuck all your thoughts my way on the email. Can you see anything other than a Bath win?
Teams
Wholesale changes from Johan van Graan after he put out the reserves last week vs Saracens, his eyes firmly on this match.
Pat Lam makes three changes to the pack that secured the play-off berth vs Harlequins.
Bath: Tom de Glanville, Joe Cokanasiga, Max Ojomoh, Cameron Redpath, Will Muir, Finn Russell, Ben Spencer, Beno Obano, Tom Dunn, Will Stuart, Quinn Roux, Charlie Ewels, Ted Hill, Guy Pepper, Alfie Barbeary.
Replacements: Niall Annett, Francois van Wyk, Thomas du Toit, Ross Molony, Miles Reid, Josh Bayliss, Tom Carr-Smith, Ciaran Donoghue.
Bristol: Noah Heward, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, James Williams, Gabriel Ibitoye, AJ MacGinty, Harry Randall, Ellis Genge, Gabriel Oghre, George Kloska, James Dun, Joe Batley, Steven Luatua, Fitz Harding, Viliame Mata.
Replacements: Harry Thacker, Jake Woolmore, Max Lahiff, Pedro Rubiolo, Santiago Grondona, Kieran Marmion, Harry Byrne, Jack Bates.
Preamble
It’s been a strange old season in Premiership Rugby. Each week has featured loads of tries, mostly optional defences, levels of consistency akin to starting a 12 year old Vauxhall Corsa on a winter morning – and it’s all been enormous fun.
No two teams represent the sublime vs ridiculous nature of the year in English domestic rugby more than the two battling this opening semi-final at the Rec. Bath topped the league well clear of their nearest rivals and have largely laid down a template of sense (relatively speaking) throughout the season. Their near neighbours Bristol meanwhile have spent the year defending like a 15 dogs with the zoomies; conceding an average of 34 points a game, showing an allergic reaction to sense and yet somehow find themselves in the play-offs.
All the sensible money is on a comfortable home victory here, but Bristol did win the previous meeting between the sides a few weeks ago albeit vs a weaker Bath selection.
Whatever the outcome, if this season has taught us anything it’s that it will be worth sticking around to watch it unfold.
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