Bath 25-17 London Irish: Matt Banahan scores two first-half tries as Mike Ford's men record crucial win - Ruck
Aviva Premiership

Bath 25-17 London Irish: Matt Banahan scores two first-half tries as Mike Ford’s men record crucial win

5 March 2016
Rugby Rucker
  • Bath overcome Premiership bottom side London Irish 25-17 to record their second win in 10 games
  • Matt Banahan’s brace, a Semesa Rokoduguni try and five points from returning Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland put Bath 20-9 up at the break
  • Theo Brophy Clews kicked the Exiles’ first-half points before making way for Greig Tonks, on his Irish debut
  • Leroy Houston added Bath’s bonus-point try, before Alex Lewington responded
Ninth-placed Bath put daylight between themselves and the relegation zone with their first-bonus point victory at the Recreation Ground this season.

A first half double from Matt Banahan was added to by Semesa Rokoduguni as Bath took full control by half-time with the hosts leading 20-9.

Leroy Houston then grabbed number four for Mike Ford’s men after the break to secure the try-scoring bonus-point in a routine victory for the hosts.

Alex Lewington’s last minute try was a mere consolation for the depleted Irish, who would have left the Rec with a losing bonus-point if Greig Tonks’ could have converted, but the replacement saw his last-gasp effort cannon off the post.

Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Ollie Devoto, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Francois Louw (c), 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Charlie Ewels, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Max Lahiff
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Beno Obano, 18 David Wilson, 19 Stuart Hooper, 20 Leroy Houston, 21 Guy Mercer, 22 Jonathan Evans, 23 Horacio Agulla

London Irish: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Topsy Ojo, 10 Theo Brophy Clews, 9 Scott Steele, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 Luke Narraway (c), 6 Ian Nagle, 5 Elliott Stooke, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 David Paice, 1 Tom Smallbone
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Tom Court, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Jerry Sexton, 20 Blair Cowan, 21 Darren Allinson, 22 Greig Tonks, 23 Fergus Mulchrone

Date: Saturday, March 5
Venue: Recreation Ground, Bath
Kick-off: 15:15 GMT
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant Referees: Kelvin Stewart, Jonathan Healy
TMO: David Grashoff