Bath produced a stunning comeback to beat Northampton Saints 47-41 in a thrilling Champions Cup quarter-final, securing their place in the semi-finals for the first time in 20 years. The match at the Recreation Ground featured 11 tries, with Bath recovering from a 28-7 deficit after 22 minutes to triumph thanks to a 76th-minute try from replacement forward Ted Hill.
Northampton started at breakneck speed, scoring five tries in the first half-hour through Henry Pollock, Fraser Dingwall, Tom Lockett, Josh Kemeny, and Ollie Sleightholme. Bath responded with tries from Tom Dunn, Finn Russell, Henry Arundell, and Francois van Wyk to trail 38-33 at the break. The second half saw a Finn Smith penalty extend Saints' lead before sin-binnings for JJ van der Mescht and Henry Pollock allowed Bath to capitalise, with Kepu Tuipulotu and Hill crossing the line.
Bath director of rugby Johann van Graan described the game as 'one of the best I have been involved in,' praising his side's refusal to give up. Northampton's Phil Dowson expressed frustration but acknowledged the quality of the contest, saying, 'It was obviously a good game of rugby but it’s frustrating to be on the wrong side of it.'
Bath will now face the winners of the all-French tie between Bordeaux and Toulouse in the semi-finals, with a place in the final in Bilbao at stake.
