Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final
Newcastle (15) 29
Tries: Hearle, McCallum, Stevenson 2 Cons: Connon 3 Pens: Connon
Bath (19) 41
Tries: Staddon 2, Barbeary, Emens 2, van Wyk Cons: Donoghue 4 Pens: Donoghue
Bath booked their place in the Premiership Rugby Cup final after edging a thrilling and high quality semi-final against Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park.
If a match-up between the Premiership leaders and the division’s whipping boys might, on paper, have looked a one-sided affair, this offering was always close and entertaining.
But Johann van Graan’s side ultimately had too much in the locker for the Falcons, who led early and fought back from 19-8 to lead by three until just before the hour mark.
Two tries and a penalty from Bath from there to the final whistle delivered a scoreline which scarcely did justice to Steve Diamond’s beaten side.
Bath will learn their opponents for the final on Friday, 14 March when Exeter Chiefs and Ealing Trailfinders meet in the second semi-final at Sandy Park on Saturday.
If victory for Bath delivered the chance to lift a first piece of silverware since their European Challenge Cup win in 2008, defeat for Newcastle Falcons after a sterling campaign in this competition should bring hope.
Despite their struggles in the league, Newcastle have been superb in this competition, and it continued with Ben Stevenson’s solo try-scoring effort on 51 minutes the highlight of the night.
The hosts started hard and fast and left both Bath and the spectators at Kingston Park wondering whether the Premiership table was not the wrong way round.
Sammy Arnold was superb, punching huge holes in the Bath defence, and his driving carry set up the opening try on seven minutes when Brett Connon chipped to the right flank where Alex Hearle picked the bounce and swept home.
A penalty on 18 minutes put the Falcons 8-0 up but, with the smelling salts starting to work, Bath shook off their lethargy to respond with three tries before half-time.
Ethan Staddon was on the end of a flowing move out right, Alfie Barbeary wriggled through on the left just before the half-hour mark, and Austin Emens pounced on Max Ojomoh’s grubber kick to score.
However, just as Bath had looked to have re-established the natural order, Newcastle hit back with a converted try to make it 15-19 at the break, Arnold again flattening a route through and Murray McCallum driving over.
Four minutes into the second period, Falcons were in front again when quarter-final hat-trick hero Jamie Blamire played a pass inside for Ben Stevenson to finish.
The night’s best moment came next – Stevenson took a high ball deep in his own half, hoisted it into the night sky, and collected his kick just over halfway before running it home.
Bath hit back again though, Emens racing over after a last-gasp offload from Ojomoh to bring it back within three points at 29-26, before Francois van Wyk’s try, Staddon again, and a Ciaran Donoghue penalty took the game beyond Newcastle’s reach.
Falcons coach Steve Diamond speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle:
“On the night probably a fair result in that they did the basics better than us, but the competition has been good for us and has built some momentum.
“We have a few days off and then we have two of the biggest games we’ll ever have.
“We’ve got Sale at home and Exeter away [in the Premiership] and [that’s] the job in hand for me. If the Premier Cup was a nice little challenge, the job is not to finish bottom of the league.”
Bath hooker Tom Dunn speaking to TNT Sports:
“This cup would be fantastic to win but I must pay a lot of credit to the boys who played in the group stages.
“Any silverware, you are not going to turn your noses up at, and to win silverware here would be fantastic.
“I have been here 15 years now and not managed to do it, so I am never going to talk it down.”
Newcastle: Obatoyinbo, Hearle, Doherty, Arnold, Stevenson, Connon, Stuart; Brocklebank, Blamire, McCallum, van der Walt, McDonald, Lockwood, Nield, Chick (capt).
Replacements: Fletcher, Rewcastle, Palframan, de Chaves, Leatherbarrow, James Elliott, Wilkinson, Spencer.
Bath: Emens, Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Butt, McConnachie, Donoghue, Carr-Smith; Caldwell, Dunn, Verden, Richards (capt), Molony, Green, Staddon, Barbeary
Replacements: Spandler, van Wyk, Griffin, Cuckson, Reid, Le Roux, Hennessey, Coetzee.
Referee: George Selwood.
