Bok stars as Bath see off Sarries for last 8
WRAP: The 1998 Champions Cup winners Bath came from behind to see off English Prem rivals Saracens 31-22.
It was quickly clear at the Rec that there would be no repetition of the result in the Prem earlier in the season when Bath ran in nine tries in a 62-15 hammering of Saracens.
The home side looked nervous as the three-time champions took an early grip on the match with Charlie Bracken’s try helping them into a 10-0 lead at the break.
It was clear that Bath’s scrum needed rescuing after a humbling first half, with the introduction of prop Thomas du Toit making the difference and the South African tighthead was named man of the match.
England winger Henry Arundell brought Bath back into the game with a brilliant solo try three minutes after the break, and even though they lost prop Beno Obana to a yellow card, the home side scored again through winger Joe Cokanasiga to go into the lead for the first time.
Nine minutes later, Bath sprung from die-hard defence as Saracens threatened their line to a sweeping counter-attack up the other end and a try from Ben Spencer.
Leading 19-10, the game appeared to be Bath’s, but Sarries hit back through Max Malins to make it a nervous final 10 minutes.
The visitors, however, lost Harry Wilson to a yellow card, and Ollie Lawrence went over to send Bath into a last-eight meeting with Northampton, who beat Castres 49-41 on Friday.
France centre Kalvin Gourgues scored two scintillating tries as Toulouse reached the Champions Cup quarterfinals after a 59-26 hammering of Bristol Bears on Saturday.
Gourgues crossed twice in the first half in glorious sunshine in south-west France to set up a last eight-tie next weekend against holders Bordeaux-Begles or Leicester Tigers, who meet on Sunday.
Wingers Matthis Lebel and Teddy Thomas also claimed doubles while superstar scrumhalf Antoine Dupont provided four assists for Toulouse’s nine tries in total as they reached their eighth straight Champions Cup quarter-final.
Captain Fitz Harding scored after five minutes before Fiji winger Kalaveti Ravouvou, centre James Williams, and replacement Noah Heward touched down in a losing effort for Bristol.
“We were surprised from the off, but we managed to react,” player of the match Gourgues told BeIn Sports.
“I’m happy to have been able to be of service to the team with two tries and by bringing others into the game around me.”
“It doesn’t matter who we face, we’ll prepare the same way,” he added, with the prospect of an all-French tie against Bordeaux and re-run of last season’s semi-final next week.
Toulouse named a full-strength side for the game played at the city’s football ground with Les Bleus duo Dupont and Romain Ntamack at half-back.
They trailed early on, though, as flanker Harding crashed over to quieten the packed 32,000-capacity crowd.
However, the record six-time champions dominated the rest of the half, dotting down six times, the highlight coming in Gourgues’ opening effort, which started with Dupont and Ntamack counter-attacking from their own 22m.
Gourges’ second touchdown was from a shorter distance, but the 21-year-old illustrated all his potential with a smooth sidestep to beat Wales fullback Louis Rees-Zammit.
After the break, Gourgues remained heavily involved, feeding ex-France winger Thomas for his second try, with the result already beyond doubt.
In the final match of the evening, England flyhalf George Ford’s boot helped the Sale Sharks record a 26-17 win over Harlequins.
Bath 31-22 Saracens
The scorers:
For Bath:
Tries: Arundell 2, Cokanasiga, Spencer, Lawrence
Cons: Russell 3
For Saracens:
Tries: Bracken, Malins, Caluori
Cons: Farrell, Burke
Pen: Farrell
Bath: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer (c), 8 Alfie Barbeary, 7 Guy Pepper, 6 Josh Bayliss, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Archie Griffin, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano
Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Cameron Redpath, 23 Miles Reid
Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Noah Caluori, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Tobias Elliott, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Charlie Bracken, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 6 Theo McFarland, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Marcus Street, 2 Jamie George, 1 Rhys Carre
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Harry Wilson, 20 Nathan Michelow, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 Max Malins
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant Referees: Ben Connor (Wales), Shota Tevzadze (Georgia)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Toulouse 59-26 Bristol Bears
The scorers:
For Toulouse:
Tries: Willis, Mauvaka 2, Gourgues 2, Lebel 2, Thomas 2
Cons: Ramos 7
For Bristol Bears:
Tries: Harding, Ravouvou, Williams, Heward
Cons: Williams 3.
Toulouse: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Kalvin Gourgues, 12 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 11 Matthis Lebel, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Jack Willis, 6 François Cros, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 David Ainu’u
Replacements: 16 Thomas Lacombre, 17 Paul Mallez, 18 Joel Merkler, 19 Joshua Brennan, 20 Leo Banos, 21 Paul Graou, 22 Santiago Chocobares, 23 Blair Kinghorn
Bristol Bears: 15 Louis Rees-Zammit, 14 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Benjamin Grondona, 7 Fitz Harding (c), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Joe Owen, 4 James Dun, 3 George Kloska, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 George Taylor, 20 Luka Ivanishvili, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Matias Moroni, 23 Noah Heward
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Federico Vedovelli (Italy), Alberto Favaro (Italy)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Harlequins 17-26 Sale Sharks
The scorers:
For Harlequins:
Tries: Cunningham-South, Dombrandt 2
Con: Smith
For Sale Sharks
Tries: Cowan-Dickie 2
Cons: Ford 2
Pens: Ford 4
Yellow cards: Will Evans (Harlequins, 32), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins, 54)
Harlequins: 15 Nick David, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 13 Luke Northmore, 12 Bryn Bradley, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Stu Townsend, 8 Alex Dombrandt (c), 7 Will Evans, 6 Guido Petti Pagadizábal, 5 Elliot Williams, 4 Kieran Treadwell, 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Simon Kerrod
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Will Hobson, 18 Ollie Streeter, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Zach Carr, 21 Jack Kenningham, 22 Lucas Friday, 23 Jarrod Evans
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Marius Louw, 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 George Ford, 9 Raffi Quirke, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Sam Dugdale, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ben Bamber, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (c), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 James Harper, 19 Reuben Logan, 20 Jos Gilmore, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Ollie Davies, 23 Alex Wills
Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
Assistant Referees: Thomas Charabas (France), Jonathan Gasnier (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
