Bath blunder hands Toulouse a win
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: A shocking blunder by fullback Freddie Burns has cost Bath their opening game of the European Champions Cup against Toulouse at the Rec.
Toulouse recorded a narrow 22-20 win Bath Rugby.
However, it could have been so different as Bath were trailing Toulouse by 20 points to 22 when Burns – playing out of position – broke through the defence and was left with what looked like a simply canter under the posts.
A smiling Burns – carrying the ball in one-hand – slowed to a jog and ongoing to place the ball has it kicked out of his grip by Maxime Meddard. Burns crumples to the ground, his head in his hands.
Burns opened the scoring with a penalty kick but Maxime Médard gave Toulouse the lead minutes later when a brilliant turnover from the French side’s pack gave them a chance to spread it wide.
After some powerful driving, they again popped it wide to find Medard who found the gap and dotted down for the opening try of the match.
Bath dominated throughout the first half and after Toulouse strayed offside, they continued to power towards the try line before the ball found Jamie Roberts who does what he does best and jinked his way over.
Rhys Priestland then bursted through the Toulouse line but after initially being halted short of the line, the ball was worked to Burns who was spun round but still able to apply enough pressure for the second try.
Cheslin Kolbe hit back as he found a way past several Bath players out wide and handed off to Guitone for a well worked try but Ramos’ conversion would sail wide.
In a tense second half, Burns and Ramos exchanged penalties before the latter gave Toulouse the lead as he found a gap in the Bath line and duly converted his own score.
And then Burns’ couple of moments to forget started.
His penalty kick with six minutes to play would cannon off the upright before he split the Toulouse defence after some wonderful play from the Bath forwards.
Burns looked set to dot down and give Bath the lead but somehow the ball was flicked away from him by Maxime Medard – who was named Man of the Match – when he looked certain to score.
Bath continued to press but turned the ball over in the final minute, allowing Toulouse to scramble the ball dead for a crucial away success.
The home side will look to bounce back at Wasps next week while Toulouse will host defending champions Leinster Rugby.
The scorers:
For Bath:
Tries: Roberts, Burns
Cons: Burns 2
Pens: Burns 2
For Toulouse:
Tries: Medard, Guitoune 2
Cons: Ramos 2
Pen: Ramos
Yellow cards: Tom Ellis (Bath), Jerome Kaino (Toulouse)
Bath: 15 Freddie Burns, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Darren Atkins, 10 Rhys Priestland (c), 9 Chris Cook, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Tom Ellis, 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Nathan Catt
Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Max Green, 22 Max Wright, 23 Tom Homer
Toulouse: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Sofiane Guitoune, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Zack Holmes, 9 Sébastien Bézy, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Francois Cros (c), 5 Joe Tekori, 4 Florian Verhaeghe, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Lucas Pointud
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Clément Castets, 18 Maks Van Dyk, 19 Pierre Gayraud, 20 Selevasio Tolofua, 21 Louis Madaule, 22 Antoine Dupont, 23 Romain Ntamack
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Eddie Hogan-O’Connell (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Source: @ChampionsCup
