Bath see off Munster for impressive bonus-point win

Investec Champions Cup

Bath (35) 40

Tries: Penalty try, Reid, Arundell, Dunn, Obano, Hill, Cons: Russell 4

Munster (14) 14

Tries: Edogbo, Casey Cons: Hanrahan 2

Bath started their Champions Cup campaign with a convincing bonus-point win over Munster.

All but five points were scored in the first half of a pulsating match at a rain-lashed Recreation Ground.

The Premiership holders had sealed their bonus point with four tries inside the first quarter, with an early penalty try followed by scores for Miles Reid, Henry Arundell and Tom Dunn.

Edwin Edogbo put Munster on the scoreboard, but Beno Obano quickly stretched Bath’s lead again.

Craig Casey crossed as Munster pulled it back to 35-14 at the break – with improved defending from both sides in the second half keeping the score down. Ted Hill went over in the 78th minute to see Bath to a 40-14 win.

Bath were soon ahead as referee Jeremy Rozier awarded them a penalty try for an infringement by Tadhg Beirne, for which the Munster, Ireland and Lions forward was sent to the sin-bin.

The Premiership champions took full advantage of being a player to the good, scoring twice in Beirne’s absence. Reid crashed over from close range, and England winger Arundell collected a superb kick from Cam Redpath that stopped on the sodden surface for him.

Dunn went over from a line-out to ensure Bath had a bonus point by the 18th minute, but lock forward Edogbo powered over the line for Munster soon afterwards.

Bath prop Will Stuart was sent to the sin-bin, but the home side still managed to stretch their lead when Obano crossed for another try successfully converted by Finn Russell.

A sniping dart over the line by scrum half Casey on the half-time whistle reinvigorated Munster even though they still went in 21 points behind.

Conditions eased in the second half, but the teams could not maintain the frenetic rate of scoring of the first 40 minutes, with no more points added until Ben Spencer’s deft chip and chase allowed the scrum-half to feed Hill for a simple try at the end.

Bath face a stern test with a trip to Toulon for their next outing, but they showed that they have the attacking prowess to be considered serious contenders for a first Champions Cup win since 1998.

Bath director of rugby Johann van Graan speaking to Premier Sports:

“You want to start games well. It was a big game for us playing an opponent that is very emotional with a lot of travelling support.

“We want to get our strengths into the game and our conversion rate in the first 20 minutes was good. We had four opportunities and scored four tries.

“If you want to go further in the competition, you must win your home games as a starting point. We did really well in the first half. We take our lessons from each game and move on.”

Munster host Gloucester at Thomond Park on Saturday, 13 December (17:30 GMT), while Bath travel to Toulon the following day (15:15 GMT)

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Redpath, Arundell; Russell, Spencer; Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Ewels, Bayliss, Pepper, Reid.

Replacements: Tuipulotu, Van Wyk, Du Toit, Molony, Hill, Carr-Smith, Carreras, Underhill.

Munster: Daly; Kilgallen, Farrell, Kelly, Abrahams; Hanrahan, Casey; Milne, Barron, Ryan, Edogbo, Ahern, Beirne, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Loughman, Ala’alatoa, Wycherley, Quinn, Coughlan, Nankivell, Kendellen.

Referee: Jeremy Rozier (Fra)

Assistant referees: Thomas Charabas (Fra), Benjamin Hernandez (Fra)

TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)