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There is a long and sinuous road yet to be travelled in the Premiership this season but it would be little surprise if Bath are the team left setting the pace at the end of it. On an opening night that reunited last season’s finalists, the runners-up showed precisely why they are favourites to go one better this campaign by meting out a measure of revenge on champions Northampton Saints.
For three months Bath could have rued and rankled the whys and wherefores of a final they so nearly won despite Beno Obano’s early sending off. Instead, Johann van Graan has made certain that his side grow again to ensure that, should they return to the Twickenham stage next June, this club’s long trophyless drought is ended.
An offseason of outgoings around the Premiership has not necessarily spread to Somerset – and that is partly why Bath look so well-placed. Of the side that started the final, only Matt Gallagher has left the club for pastures new, leaving a settled group accentuated further by canny additions like Guy Pepper, a useful understudy to Sam Underhill who should soon follow his new colleague into England white.
Perhaps the best illustration of Bath’s depth comes at tighthead. Few clubs can call upon three international props but even without Springbok Thomas du Toit here, Van Graan could throw on Archie Griffin for Will Stuart on the back of a breakthrough summer tour with Wales. The 23-year-old’s scrummaging impact proved decisive – and Bath have the exceptionally highly-rated Billy Sela on their staff, too.
There could have been few more perfect settings to launch the new season, The Rec’s traditional charms quite the sight under cerise skies as day turned to night. Some of the frustration that has festered in these parts since their final near miss was evident in a fast start. For the first seven minutes, Bath won just about every collision. Joe Cokanasiga won the most consequential of them, thumping through Northampton scrum half Tom James after tidy work from Tom de Glanville.
The clues to two contrasting summers was contained within the two teamsheets. Where Bath’s unit looked largely as it was at Twickenham, Northampton’s was notable by the absence of Alex Waller, Lewis Ludlam and Courtney Lawes, an entire leadership corps having departed after distinguished service.
The tricky task of filling Lawes’ boots falls on Australian recruit Josh Kemeny, who soon endeared himself to the travelling Saints fans with a scorching score down the touchline after George Furbank’s well-timed surged. Eyebrows were raised when Eddie Jones talked of the flanker as a possible wing option during his brief stint with Australia; judging by his sprint down the touchline here, it may not have been Jones’ silliest scheme.
But Kemeny’s try proved the visitors’ bright point in a half Bath controlled. A cutting swerve from centre Will Butt allowed Ted Hill to thunder beneath the posts before a kick to the corner paid full dividends, courtesy of a delicious dummy and dart from captain Ben Spencer.
Spencer was one of a number of those on show of interest to watching England head coach Steve Borthwick. With scrum half rival Alex Mitchell unavailable for Northampton as he awaits scans on a neck injury, Spencer stepped up to produce exactly the sort of performance that has become his trademark over the last few seasons.
There may be others with greater gifts to change or shape a game internationally, but there is no nine in the Premiership as consistently important to their side as Spencer. It is he, not half-back partner Finn Russell, who is the emperor of the Roman city’s side.
“For him to come and deliver that performance was special,” Van Graan said of Spencer’s showing. “I went to see him a few weeks ago because it is important that your captain wants to lead the club, and he certainly wants to lead the group. He’s got big dreams in international rugby, but Ben is a winner - you saw that at his previous club [Saracens], but specifically since he became captain of our club. He’s just become better and better.”
Two strikes from Fin Smith’s boot kept Northampton in touch before Bath seized the contest. An opportunistic Ollie Lawrence try was converted from the touchline by Russell, who subsequently added another three. By the time Jaco Coetzee bashed over from the rear of an accelerating scrum in the final minute, the Bath fans were testing the structural integrity of this old, antiquated ground.
For while last year felt like the season of the Saints as they bid adieu to club heroes and found new ones, there is every chance that this is Bath’s campaign. Enviable depth in the back and front rows tessellates nicely with the authoritative Mitchell, while power-players Lawrence and Cokanasiga continue to relish Russell’s distribution. Even at this early stage, it appears Bath will take some stopping.
“We didn’t waste any energy on final this week,” Van Graan said. “We reviewed it a few weeks ago. Our last game was in the final against Northampton but there wasn’t any sense of redemption, or we have to get one over them. It is one out of 18 games against a very good side. Last season proved if you win your home games and pick up one or two on the road you will be pretty close to a top four spot.”
