Bath book date with Tigers
Bath booked a trip to old rivals Leicester after booking their place in the Guinness Premiership play-offs with a 33-18 victory over Saracens.
Last Updated: 25/04/09 5:34pm
Bath booked a trip to old rivals Leicester after booking their place in the Guinness Premiership play-offs with a 33-18 victory over Saracens.
The pair will clash at Leicester City's Walkers Stadium on May 9 in a repeat of the clubs' Heineken Cup quarter-final clash two weeks ago which Tigers won 20-15.
Fly-half Ryan Davis delivered an assured display with four penalties and three conversions in a perfect kicking performance as Sarries paid for their indiscipline with three players sin-binned.
The visitors can still qualify for next season's Heineken Cup after missing out on seventh place, but only if they go on to win the Challenge Cup.
Bath clinched the points when lock Peter Short crossed 17 minutes into the second half after wing Andrew Higgins had touched down before the break.
But their inability to clinch a try-scoring bonus meant the difference between travelling to Leicester rather than second-placed Harlequins, who will host London Irish.
Unmarked
Former Bath player Steve Borthwick led Sarries and had reason to smile inside the opening minute as Saracens struck with a try after just 27 seconds.
Bath went missing in defence, allowing flanker Andy Saull to break several tackles and free unmarked American wing Chris Wyles, who had a clear run to the line.
Glen Jackson sent the touchline conversion attempt narrowly wide, yet Bath had already been served notice that Saracens had no intention of merely making up numbers.
And there was further woe for Bath midway through the opening quarter when their captain Michael Lipman limped out of the action.
Lipman's season has been severely disrupted by a series of concussions, then a neck injury during the midweek win against Wasps, so there was a predictability about his latest premature exit.
Saracens should have increased their lead after Jackson intercepted on halfway, but he lacked the pace and vision to make it count as Bath found themselves ripped open all too easily.
The home side could not settle, and a series of dust-ups off the ball erupted into a mass midfield skirmish which ended with Saracens prop Tom Mercey being sin-binned for punching.
Treatment
Davis kicked the resulting penalty, and there was no let-up in the game's relentless nature as Bath forwards Lee Mears and Justin Harrison both required lengthy spells of treatment before being able to continue.
Lions hooker Mears though, his left knee heavily strapped, could barely walk let alone run but he battled gamely on as Bath looked to assert some authority on the contest.
A spell of prolonged Bath pressure reaped its reward seven minutes before the break when Higgins crossed for a try that Davis converted, following his second penalty just four minutes earlier.
Saracens were briefly reduced to 13 men when lock Hugh Vyvyan followed Mercey into the sin-bin, and it could have been worse but Saull escaped punishment following a mid-air challenge on Bath full-back Nick Abendanon.
Jackson reduced Saracens' arrears with a penalty as the interval approached, and there remained no sign of either side giving an inch.
Jackson and Davis exchanged penalties early in the second-half, yet Saracens could not rid themselves of the yellow peril, with Saull sin-binned for a late tackle on Abendanon.
And with the flanker off, Bath struck a telling blow when neat inter-passing between the forwards ended with Short crashing over and Davis converting.
Davis' fourth successful penalty seemed to put Bath out of sight, and although Noah Cato's score, converted by Jackson, cut the gap, Matt Banahan's 70-metre interception score during injury-time took Bath past 30 points.
But a fractious game waged after the final whistle as players from both sides scrapped before Rob Debney could restore order.