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Gallagher Premiership
Leicester (10) 15
Tries: van Poortvliet, Cole Cons: Shillcock Pen: Shillcock
Bath (5) 20
Tries: Muir, de Glanville, Pepper Cons: Russell Pen: Spencer
Bath scored 15 second-half points as they held on for an edgy victory over Leicester Tigers at a sunny Mattioli Woods Welford Road to make it two wins from two in the Premiership.
A smart counter-attack and some neat interplay ended with Will Muir going over in the corner to put the visitors ahead.
But Jack van Poortvliet rounded off a lovely move to touch down under the posts as Tigers hit back to help them build a 10-5 lead at the end of a pulsating and high-quality first half.
Tom de Glanville dived over in the corner to level the scores soon after the interval and the contest became increasingly tense and error-strewn.
Guy Pepper put the Blue, Black and Whites ahead and Finn Russell’s conversion and a Ben Spencer penalty stretched the lead to 20-10.
And although Dan Cole bundled over for a last-minute try, Bath held on for victory – their first at Leicester in five attempts.
Both sides were looking to build on impressive – albeit contrasting – wins in their opening fixtures.
Tigers began their season with a dramatic and battling late success over Exeter to get Michael Cheika’s reign as boss under way in style, while Bath avenged their Premiership final defeat against Northampton Saints by cruising to a stylish five-try bonus point win over the same opposition.
Those victories brought obvious confidence and fluidity on an immaculate playing surface that was well suited for flowing rugby.
A breathless opening saw chances at both ends, Bath twice being held up on the try-line and Leicester threatening through several well-drilled catch-and-drives.
Ollie Hassell-Collins looked like he had rounded off a superb team move which cut through the Bath defence but, embarrassingly, he dropped the ball when over the line.
And although Jamie Shillcock soon slotted a penalty to put the Tigers ahead, the visitors scored the first try of the game as some beautiful interplay and a lightning burst of acceleration by Will Butt found Ollie Lawrence, whose one-handed offload allowed Muir to touch down in the corner.
Tigers replied from near their own line when Russell’s penalty failed to find touch and Van Poortvliet’s quick thinking earned good position and the scrum-half was then on hand to go under the posts for a five-point interval advantage.
But after de Glanville charged over in the corner after more slick handling between backs and forwards to make it 10-10, the second half was in stark contrast to the first, however.
Both sides had displayed solid defence and impressive handling in attack but with the scores level, the second half was tighter. More kicking and the increased tension brought error after error, with Tigers more culpable.
And it was some sloppy defensive work as a poor kick and then careless line-out resulted in Pepper going over for Bath’s third score.
Russell slotted over his first kick of the afternoon, having missed his previous two attempts, before Spencer made it a 10-point game.
Veteran former England prop Cole, on as a late replacement, crashed over for a rare try to earn the home side a losing bonus point, but with less then a minute to play Bath closed out victory.
Tigers head of rugby Michael Cheika told BBC Radio Leicester:
“There were back-to-back errors which really hurt us. Some of those things in isolation you can maybe get away, but we made two or three in a row sometimes and that put us in bad field positions
“In the second half we started looking at the scoreboard a little bit, instead of looking after the game.
“It’s a terrible feeling right now but it’s a feeling that will help us be better going into the next few games because it’s not a feeling that you want to have,
“In the first half we were very much into the long game. We stuck it out early on when we were under fire and we were physical. In the second half we weren’t prepared to play the long game.
“We were in a position to win it and we had opportunities.
“We gave ourselves a good foundation in the first half but didn’t continue that in the second half and that consistency is what wears the opposition down, and they dictated the tempo of the game in the second half.”
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan told BBC Radio Bristol:
“We were tough to beat. We were down 10-5 at half-time and weren’t perfect, but we played against a very physical side and stayed in the fight.
“Nothing is ever too tough for these lads. I am very chuffed with the four points.
“We hadn’t won here in quite a while so it’s a good memory in the memory bank. We will enjoy it and then will move forward.
“It doesn’t matter what situation is thrown at us, we try to adapt. That is what the group is about. I am pretty happy with the players today.”
Leicester: Steward; Watson, Perese, Kelly, Hassell-Collins; Shillcock, van Poortvliet (capt); Smith, Clare, Heyes, Wells, Martin, Liebenberg, Reffell, Cracknell.
Replacements: Theobald-Thomas, Cronin, Cole, Joussain, Hatherell, Youngs, Volavola, Brown.
Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Butt, Muir; Russell, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Molony, Bayliss, Pepper, Barbeary.
Replacements: Annett, van Wyk, Sela, Ewels, Hill, Carr-Smith, Bailey, Coetzee.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys.