Sunday, May 04, 2008
Bath run Saracens ragged - Full Highlights
Bath have been moulded into an irresistible unit and Saracens, despite fielding seven of the side who were on duty against Munster in their Heineken Cup semi-final defeat last weekend, were simply blown away.
The bonus-point victory Bath required to guarantee a play-off spot was never in doubt as they moved to the top of the table above long-time leaders Gloucester. Bath even played a chunk of the game with 14 men after South Africans Michael Claassens and Butch James were sin-binned, but it made no difference to the overall picture.
Olly Barkley put in a Man of the Match performance, scoring 31 points, with two tries and a superb display of flawless goalkicking.
Wing Matt Banahan scored the game's outstanding individual try - a 70-metre solo effort which now makes him the Premiership's top scorer this season, with ten tries to his name.
Saracens stemmed the tide briefly in the second half through a few tries of their own, but it was not enough, as Bath came out with the emphatic victory by 66 points to 21.
Note: These are extended highlights, so the clip is over 10 minutes long.
Posted at 7:02 pm | 23 comments
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Viewing 23 comments
Anonymous May 04, 2008 6:22 pm
have to say I thought Ratavou's try was the best of the lot. Looked like a training match. Rediculous Really enjoyed this clip. Pretty hilarious really
bD May 04, 2008 6:54 pm
good to see barkley and james on the pitch at the same time instead of them competing for the 10 shirt. ...not a expert on bath could someone tell me if butch now starts regularly at 10?
David May 04, 2008 7:26 pm
Who was playing scrum half for Bath? i'm just curious, since both Dwayne Peel AND Mike Phillips are out for our Bok tour, we're either trying completely uncapped man who plays for london irish, Warren Fury, or Andy Williams, who apparently plays for Bath.
Shaft May 04, 2008 7:59 pm
David, it was Michael Claasons I think - former Cheetahs scrummie, and Bok (undeservingly so IMO though). Great game. Loved that Banahan run. Incredible for a guy who's, 6ft7?James yellow was a joke. Bit harsh to say the least.
Eirik May 04, 2008 8:13 pm
I think this game showed that it's possible to have entertaining running rugby without any of the ELVs.
mowbray12 May 04, 2008 9:33 pm
shaft - not sure if you've watched much of Bath this year but Claasens has been outstanding throughout. He is certainly of world class and, were it not for Du Preez and the fact he plays abroad, would deserve to add to his few Bok caps.bd - Butch is first choice 10, dislocated his shoulder in jan and so has only returned in the last fortnight or so. He, Classens and Barkley have formed a formidable 9, 10, 12 combo.
minstrel boy May 04, 2008 11:23 pm
funny thing about banahan try is that the ref seemed the only one able to catch him :)its nice to see that many tries,but saracens just played weak defence with far too many missed tackles.one thing that also bothered me was the fact that the ref didnt blown for holding on 10-15 times when he should have
will66 May 05, 2008 7:36 am
Eirik, I'm with you. This season we've had one of the most exciting World Cups ever (I don't know why people slagged it off there were loads of great games) and a belting Premiership season, all without the ELVs. It's been said many times before on this site, but nevertheless, 'if ain't boke don't fix it' is the cliche that comes to mind...
Rob May 05, 2008 11:01 am
This game was epic! Shame they didn't show many of the huge hits that were going in but I guess they had enough highlights already!Can someone tell me what Butch did wrong? Lookied like a great hit to me. Perhaps from the ref's angle it looked worse cos the right arm didn't come round at first and i think it was only yellow cos Stephens got pinged for the same thing a few minutes earlier (not that his was illegal either imo)
Anonymous May 05, 2008 11:18 am
Nice one Rugbydump!Any chance of highlights from the other GP games this weekend?i.e. Varndell's tries? Wasps v Gloucester? Keep up the good work!
Rawling May 05, 2008 11:38 am
Second great game from the Rec posted here this season - even better than the Wasps match earlier.And yes, another example of the current Laws being fit for purpose. Although they could still be applied more rigorously (or even at all) at the breakdown.
Pedro Fleury May 05, 2008 4:09 pm
awesome plays ... too bad i couldn't watch the whole game =/about the ELVs , i agree with most ... its stupid ... every 5 years we have new rules to learn ... so far it had been for the good of the game, but now it just seems a commercial issue.Although i agree with making most foul plays award a free kick instead of a penalty , the rest is bullocks!
Shaft May 05, 2008 5:12 pm
EXPERIMENTAL Law Variations, not HERE FOR GOOD Law Variations. When will you guys understand that??Anyway, most of you who slag them off probably haven't watched full Super 14 matches this season. If you had, you'd know that the games have been open, exciting, with some superb running rugby on display. Loads of occasions when the new laws haven't worked, but not all EXPERIMENTS do work do they? The majority have though, providing us with some great excitement.I for one don't care which way the laws go, but am willing to be open minded enough to accept the experiment. I'd say possibly 4 out of 10 should be kept, and the rest can be scrapped. Oh and, rugby was getting boring near the knockout stages of the World Cup. Not a whole load or running or adventurous play was there? Maybe one or two of the ELV's would have changed that. Right, essay over. :)
Shaft May 05, 2008 7:22 pm
Oh and about Michael Claasons - he's about 5th on the list for SA scrummies I hate to say it. Always has been and I doubt that'll change. When he got his bok cap, it was a late callup after some freakish injuries. He was also always overshadowed by Vaalie Oelshig at the Cheetahs. Yes he may be playing well this season, but believe me, he won't be wearing a Bok jersey again. He has a crisp pass and is quick, but doesn't offer much else imo. I could name plenty others. I'd even rather have Neil De Kock, who looks to be having a great season too, in again ahead of him.Sh*t I have verbal diarrhoea tonight
aj.uk May 05, 2008 10:00 pm
Shaft.. there are 25 ELV's in motion, although around six of them are same laws but applied far more rigourously.Probably four should be kept, the line out could be sorted out and the one about not being able to pass into 22 and boot it out, those are excellent for any rugby.The rest are needless, if the southern hemisphere want to play running rugby then do it the conventional way. France and Wales have shown how to score clusters of tries in every game on off for three decades. The Boks played some great running rugby this WC, there is no need for the ELV 12month world-wide trial period coming into affect near the end of the year. The IRB shouldn't shove new laws upon unions that don't want them, the Super 14 season isn't even over so how have they been able to successfully review the said laws properly? Yet they are being trialled in Six Nations and Lions Tour next year. Can't see the Lions having a great time with that.Anyway, excellent clip. The Sarries really weren't that woeful on defence, they had to defends for ten minute stretches, often. Bath are just hitting peak at the right time.More lengthy clips like this one please!
BossHogg May 06, 2008 1:48 am
Proof that there is no need to tamper with the rules of the "GAME". If you can't create space with out the rules to help you, then in the words of JED "take your privates and f*ck off" There are some good rules, pass back from a quick line out, quick tap and touching the flagetc, the rest play into the hands of the piss weak forward play the crims thrive on.Other than that man grab your 9 get on my 6 and shoe the feck out out of some one slowing the ball down
G-unit May 06, 2008 2:58 am
I have to agree with the commentators! Saracens were Woeful! how many missed tackles in that game?? and i read some of the comments, i do enjoy, the not kicking out in the 22 pass back rule, makes for more running, and the 10m from scrum, gives the attacking team some space, everything else, well, you have to try the rule, if it works, it's good, if it doesn't dump it... tryless rugby finals, don't sound exciting, except to the hardcore fan who enjoys the ebb and flow of watching the game...not good for the highlight reels though is it?? just a thought...
mahon May 06, 2008 6:01 am
how about that clearing job by butch (i believe) from about 0:35 to 0:50? even a nice tap on the head for one saracen
Anonymous May 06, 2008 7:05 pm
how about census johnston trying to chase down that winger?! not bad for a 135kg prop! LOL!
Anonymous June 04, 2008 5:18 pm
ye. lol. evrybody talks about that banahan but he only just out run that prop. whould be better of in the backrow coz of his size
Anonymous June 04, 2008 5:20 pm
ye. lol. evrybody talks about that banahan but he only just out run that prop. whould be better of in the backrow coz of his size
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