Saracens come from behind to beat Bath

Saracens launched a second half comeback to beat Bath 19-13 in the Aviva Premiership at Allianz Park.

Saracens scored 19 unanswered points in the second half and Maro Itoje was named man of the match.

The 19 point comeback is Saracens biggest ever comeback in the Aviva Premiership. Both teams scored one try each.

Bath put in a brilliant defensive display for all of 70 minutes, before a Schalk Brits try helped the league leaders steal the victory.

The home side completed their biggest ever comeback in the Premiership, as Bath slumped to five defeats in a row as their poor form continues.

A quick start from Bath found them pressing for an early try, before electing to give Rhys Priestland the chance to convert a penalty inside five minutes.

With 12 minutes gone, full-back Tom Homer scored his first Premiership try in Bath colours after Dan Bowden’s pass released him to dive for the line. Priestland judged the wind correctly, seeing his penalty bend through the posts.

Priestland then failed to convert a penalty to take Bath further clear, but as the clock went in to the red he registered three points from the tee, meaning Saracens finished the first half scoreless for the first time since 2013.

As the Londoners looked for a way back in to the game, Charlie Hodgson failed to slot an early second half penalty, before seeing his next two efforts sail through the posts to bring them within seven points.

Shortly after, Priestland had the chance to extend Bath’s lead against the run of play, but the Welsh fly-half misjudged the wind and watched his kick sail wide.

Sarries almost found their way to the try line, but after breaking into space Nick Tompkins tried a spectacular sweeping pass out to Duncan Taylor, which was well anticipated by Bath’s Homer to intercept inside his own 22.

Hodgson then found his way to the try line, but TMO replays highlighted some fantastic defensive work by Bath scrum-half Chris Cook, who was able to hold the ball up.

After a powerful break from England squad member Maro Itoje, South-African hooker Brits reached for the whitewash on 70 minutes to score the home side’s first try.

Hodgson’s conversion bought the teams level with ten minutes remaining, before he slotted a penalty just moments later to take Saracens in to the lead for the first time in the game.

Another penalty from Hodgson took his side out of the reach of a single score, before David Wilson was shown his way to the sin-bin to round off a poor afternoon for Mike Ford’s side.

Final Score Saracens 19 (0) Bath 13 (13)

Scorers

Saracens
Tries -Brits
Pen – Hodgson (4)
Con – Hodgson
Drop –

Bath
Tries – Homer
Pen – Priestland (2)
Con – Priestland
Drop –

Match Officials
Referee : Dean Richards (84th Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: Greg Macdonald & Andy Watson
TMO: Geoff Warren.

Teams

Saracens

15 Ben Ransom , 14 Duncan Taylor , 13 Marcelo Bosch , 12 Brad Barritt © , 11 Chris Wyles , 10 Charlie Hodgson , 9 Richard Wigglesworth , 8 Jackson Wray , 7 Jacques Burger , 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Maro Itoje , 3 Petrus Du Plessis , 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Richard Barrington

Replacements : 16 Jared Saunders , 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer , 18 Titi Lamositele , 19 Hayden Smith , 20 Kelly Brown , 21 Ben Spencer , 22 Nils Mordt , 23 Nick Tompkins

Bath

15 Tom Homer , 14 Semesa Rokoduguni , 13 Matt Banahan , 12 Dan Bowden , 11 Horacio Agulla , 10 Rhys Priestland , 9 Chris Cook , 1 Nick Auterac , 2 Rob Webber , 3 Henry Thomas , 4 Charlie Ewels , 5 Dominic Day , 6 Matt Garvey , 7 Francois Louw (c) , 8 Leroy Houston

Replacements : 16 Tom Dunn , 17 Max Lahiff , 18 David Wilson , 19 Tom Ellis , 20 Guy Mercer, 21 Alafoti Faosiliva , 22 Jonathan Evans , 23 Max Clark