Bath Rugby’s third pre-season game was one to forget as they lost to RFU Championship side Ealing Trailfinders 36-21 at the Recreation Ground on Saturday.
It was a poor performance from Johann van Graan’s men who were unable to make any marks with the ball in hand, while their defence could not stop Ealing from scoring points at every visit inside the 22. Tobi Wilson, Lloyd Williams, Simon Uzokwe and Danny Cutmore were the try scorers for the Championship club. Dan Jones knocked over a conversion and a penalty, and Craig Willis added two more conversions. Jaco Coetzee scored two of Bath’s tries, with Tom de Glanville also scoring, along with a last-minute try through a crowd of players from Kepu Tuipulotu. Orlando Bailey was perfect from the tee, kicking all four of his conversions.
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Nine minutes was all it took for the Blue, Black and White to get their first try of the day’s action, with number eight Coetzee forcing himself over from inside five metres. Coetzee was then instrumental in Bath’s second try, shrugging off two Ealing tackles to let De Glanville dive under the posts to add a second after 16 minutes. Max Ojomoh was forced to come off with an apparent injury in between those tries in another disappointment.
However, Ealing grew into the game, and fullback Tobi Wilson was found on the left wing to cross over and cut the deficit. The London club then took the initiative as Bath stalled, and scrum-half and captain Llyod Williams was able to pick and go off the back of a ruck and run in unopposed. Fly-half Jones knocked over a penalty to make it 15-14 and give Ealing a deserved half-time lead.
Bath came out strong to start the second half and Coetzee added his second try. But Bath’s performance deteriorated further, and Ealing back-rower Simon Uzokwe drove over the line to give them a 22-21 lead.
Bath’s sloppy play in both attack and defence continued, and Ealing extended their lead through a Sean Lonsdale try to make it 29-21. A yellow card for a deliberate knock-on by Joe Cokanasiga in Bath’s own 22 with eight minutes left compounded their misery, and an Ealing try a minute later for Cam Terry gave Ealing a deserving 36-21 lead. Bath added a consolation try at the end as a pile of players amassed over the line to score, but Trailfinders walked away with a fine win under their belt, whereas Bath will be left with some questions to answer.
Bath’s final pre-season game will take place at the Rec once again on Friday, 13 September as they take on Welsh side Dragons RFC before welcoming last season’s Gallagher Premiership champions Northampton Saints to the West Country in the opening round of the league.
Bath Rugby: 15 Tom de Glanville; 14 Joe Cokanasiga; 13 Max Ojomoh; 12 Will Butt; 11 Ruaridh McConnochie; 10 Orlando Bailey; 9 Louis Schreuder; 1 Francois van Wyk; 2 Tom Dunn; 3 Archie Griffin; 4 Quinn Roux; 5 Charlie Ewels (c); 6 Josh Bayliss; 7 Guy Pepper; 8 Jaco Coetzee
Replacements: Niall Annett, Ieuan Davies, Jacques du Plessis, Austin Emens, Louie Hennessey, Ted Hill, Ross Molony, Miles Reid, Billy Sela, Archie Stanley, Kepu Tuipulotu, Jack Woods
Ealing Trailfinders: 15 Tobi Wilson; 14 Angus Kernohan; 13 Francis Moore; 12 Jordan Holgate; 11 Tom Collins; 10 Dan Jones; 9 Lloyd Williams (c); 1 Kyle Whyte; 2 Matt Cornish; 3 George Davis; 4 Sean Lonsdale; 5 Danny Cutmore; 6 Rob Farrar; 7 Simon Uzokwe; 8 Josh Taylor
Replacements: Cam Terry, Lefty Zigiriadis, Adam Nicol, Matas Jurevicius, Ehize Ehizode, David Douglas Bridge, Ollie Newman, Jordy Reid, Craig Hampson, Craig Willis, Tyler Bocks, Reuben Bird-Tulloch, Nathan Earle, Michael Dykes, Dan O’Brien