WASPS 5 BATH RUGBY 28
Semesa Rokoduguni ran in two tries as Bath Rugby romped to a seventh straight win in all competitions with an impressive victory at Wasps.
The Fijian flyer touched down either side of half-time at Adams Park, while Matt Garvey also crossed the whitewash at the death as Bath moved up to third in the Aviva Premiership.
Jonah Holmes grabbed a try for Wasps ten minutes from time but it was too late to deny the visitors a resounding victory – their third on the road in the league.
Bath looked the better side from the outset and broke the deadlock after just five minutes when Wasps stopped a maul illegally, allowing George Ford to send a penalty through the posts.
The hosts had an immediate chance to hit back but Andy Goode fired wide with two shots at goal in quick succession. Ford was then off target himself when he lined up a penalty on the halfway line.
Bath began to take control of the contest midway through the half and repeatedly lay siege to the Wasps line. A series of handling errors left them frustrated until Ford produced a moment of magic to double the lead.
With the Wasps defence determinedly holding firm, the Bath fly-half gathered the ball 30m out. With nothing on ahead of him, Ford calmly slotted the ball through the posts for an audacious drop goal.
The visitors were soon back on the offensive and were camped in the hosts’ 22 as Wasps conceded a string of penalties.
Prop Phil Swainston was eventually sent to the sin-bin as his team’s misdemeanours continued to mount and Bath capitalised on the man advantage a minute before the interval.
Ford booted to the corner and skipper Stuart Hooper claimed the lineout. The visiting pack made several drives towards the line before quick ball from scrum-half Peter Stringer saw the ball travel wide and winger Rokoduguni dotted down in the corner.
Ford’s conversion flew narrowly wide but Bath were well in control at the interval.
Wasps enjoyed a bright spell early in the second half but Goode’s troubles with the boot continued as he saw a third makeable penalty drift wide of the posts.
The visitors’ pack continued to dominate and they steamrolled a Wasps maul close to the posts, allowing Ford another three points.
A cracking break from Leroy Houston then set up Rokoduguni’s second try. The Australian back-rower stormed up field, gaining 25m before offloading to Rokoduguni to finish under the posts. Ford added the extras before sending a long-range penalty just wide.
Wasps then got themselves on the scoreboard when a charging break from Tom Palmer got the hosts’ good territory. The ball went wide to Holmes, who sped over in the corner. There was more misery from the tee, however, as this time replacement Joe Carlisle fired wide.
Bath hand the final word, though, and when a penalty was won in a good position, replacement Tom Heathcote booted to the corner.
Ross Batty threw the lineout short and Garvey gobbled up the ball before barging his way over from close range. Heathcote landed a cracking conversion from out wide to bring the match to a close.
WASPS: Daly, Holmes, Jacobs, Bell (c), Bassett, Goode, Simpson, Mullan, Festuccia, Swainston, Palmer, Myall, Johnson, Jones, Hughes. Replacements: Cochrane, McIntyre, Taylor, Launchbury, Haskell, Thompson, Davies, Carlisle.
Try: Holmes
BATH RUGBY: Abendanon, Rokoduguni, Joseph (Watson 64), Devoto, Banahan, Ford (Heathcote 75), Stringer (Roberts 59), Catt (Beech 70), Webber (Batty 70), Wilson (Orlandi 70), Hooper (c) (Day 52), Attwood, Garvey, Gilbert (Skuse 70), Houston.
Tries: Rokoduguni 2, Garvey Conversions: Ford, Heathcote Penalties: Ford 2 Drop goal: Ford
Referee: Luke Pearce
Attendance: 5,316
Article source: http://web.orange.co.uk/p/rugbyleague/match?game_id=118177&competition_id=1
Semesa Rokoduguni brace helps Bath Rugby sting Wasps in Aviva Premiership
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