{"id":72562,"date":"2025-05-04T01:08:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-04T01:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/72562\/"},"modified":"2025-05-04T01:08:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-04T01:08:09","slug":"bath-power-game-proves-too-strong-for-edinburgh-to-seal-semi-final-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/72562\/","title":{"rendered":"Bath power game proves too strong for Edinburgh to seal semi-final win"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Bath proved too strong for Edinburgh as they reached the Challenge Cup final: \u00a9 Craig Watson <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n

GRAEME MACPHERSON <\/strong>@ Hive Stadium<\/p>\n

IT provided the outcome many had forecast and the stronger team in Bath but that only tells part of the story of a compelling Challenge Cup semi-final played in front of a new record attendance at Hive Stadium.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Edinburgh can have no regrets or complaints at bowing out at this stage of the competition given Bath\u2019s overall dominance, in the second half especially when their bench emptied and stellar talent like Thomas du Toit<\/strong> entered the fray.<\/p>\n

Bath, though, were sloppy at times and ill-disciplined and with just five minutes left to play the Premiership leaders were only ahead by three points.<\/p>\n

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A late Edinburgh penalty could have taken the tie to extra-time \u2013 and few inside the ground would have complained about that \u2013 but instead Bath again turned to their forwards to grind their way through for an additional two scores. All six of their tries were claimed by their pack.<\/p>\n

Finn Russell<\/strong> had one of his quieter afternoons with the ball in hand while his kicking was often erratic but it was Bath\u2019s forwards and not their backline that would cause Edinburgh the biggest headache all afternoon.<\/p>\n

Their dream of reaching a second Challenge Cup final a decade after the last one is now over, their focus returning to their final two URC matches and a late push for the playoffs. Edinburgh will take heart from how they played here in patches but won\u2019t harbour any lingering grievance about the outcome.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe showed a lot of fight and a lot of pride in the jersey but unfortunately we fell just a little bit short,\u201d said head coach Sean Everitt<\/strong> afterwards. \u201cI\u2019m proud of how we defended our goal line with so much energy and passion. But we knew it was always going to be difficult against a Bath team who can put you under so much pressure in that area.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t accurate enough in the middle third of the field. That\u2019s something we need to look at. In the second half, our discipline also wasn\u2019t what it needed to be. We allowed Bath too many easy entries into our 22.<\/p>\n

\u201cBath are one of the most efficient teams in Europe in that area and they can really punish you. They put us under pressure and really kept us pinned in our own 22 for a lot of the second half.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn saying that, we put ourselves into a good position early in the second half and got ourselves into the lead. It\u2019s disappointing that we weren\u2019t able to capitalise on that. The guys are absolutely gutted but we need to pick ourselves up now. There are a lot of positives we can take from this and we\u2019re going to need that over the next few weeks in the URC.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ali Price<\/strong> botched a chance to land an early score when he stopped running thinking his over-hit kick forward was going to dribble out of touch. only for it spin back in, before Ross Thompson<\/strong> struck a makeable penalty against the post.<\/p>\n

That looked costly when Bath made ground up the pitch after Jamie Ritchie<\/strong> spilled the 22-metre drop-out leading to a scrum penalty that concluded with Sam Underhill<\/strong> squeezing over for the first try of the game.<\/p>\n

Will Muir<\/strong> then became the first of three players sent to the sin-bin, his offence kicking the ball out of Matt Currie<\/strong>\u2019s hands as the Edinburgh centre lay on the ground.<\/p>\n

Edinburgh took advantage of the extra man, a quick line-out concluding with Currie haring down the line to feed Mosese Tuipulotu,<\/strong> an early replacement for Harry Paterson<\/strong> who failed his HIA.<\/p>\n

Then came more of the Bath power show with Tom Dunn<\/strong> scoring the first of his two tries after the maul got motoring, although a Thompson penalty meant Bath\u2019s lead was only two points by the end of a frenetic first half.<\/p>\n

Bath indiscipline proved costly again at the start of the second half when Tom de Glanville<\/strong> struck out a hand to prevent Wes Goosen<\/strong>\u2019s pass from reaching Darcy Graham.<\/strong> The punishment was a yellow card for the full-back and a penalty try for Edinburgh, giving them the lead for the first time in the contest.<\/p>\n

Bath, though, were never going to go away quietly as they turned to their replacements to give them fresh impetus. Edinburgh did brilliantly to hold up Ben Obano<\/strong> on the line but, after Sam Skinner<\/strong> had been shown a yellow card for repeat offences, Bath added two quick scores when first Dunn and then replacement Alfie Barbeary<\/strong> crept over after persistent forward play.<\/p>\n

A Russell penalty looked to have ended any doubts over the outcome with 63 minutes played but a rare Edinburgh second-half attack led to a brilliant try. Thompson burst through a gap and turned to find Price on his shoulder who did well to get the ball grounded.<\/p>\n

That gave the home crowd some belated hope but Bath snuffed it out as Neill Annett<\/strong> and then Guy Pepper<\/strong> crossed to put daylight between Bath and their vanquished hosts.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Teams \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Edinburgh:<\/strong> W Goosen, D Graham, M Currie, J Lang (B Healy 78), H Paterson (M Tuipulotu 4), R Thompson, A Price (C Shiel 76); P Schoeman (B Venter 53), E Ashman (P Harrison 55), D Rae (J Sebastian 43), S Skinner (M Sykes 60), G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, H Watson (B Muncaster 60), M Bradbury<\/p>\n

Bath:<\/strong> T De Glanville, J Cokanasiga (C Donoghue 70), C Redpath, W Butt, W Muir, F Russell, B Spencer (L Schreuder 76); B Obano (T du Toit 49), T Dunn (N Annett 57), W Stuart (A Griffin 67), Q Roux (T Hill 49), C Ewels (R Molony 64), G Pepper, S Underhill, M Reid (A Barbeary 49)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scorers \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Edinburgh:<\/strong> Tries:<\/strong> Tuipulotu, Penalty, Price; Pen:<\/strong> Thompson; Cons:<\/strong> Thompson 2<\/p>\n

Bath: Tries:<\/strong> Underhill, Dunn 2, Barbeary, Annett, Pepper; Pen:<\/strong> Russell; Cons:<\/strong> Russell 3<\/p>\n

Scoring sequence (Edinburgh first):<\/strong> 0-5, 0-7, 5-7, 7-7, 7-12, 10-12, (h-t), 17-12, 17-17, 17-19, 17-24, 17-27, 22-27, 24-27, 24-32, 24-34, 24-39<\/p>\n

Referee:<\/strong> Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)<\/p>\n

Yellow cards \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Edinburgh:<\/strong> Skinner (48 mins)<\/p>\n

Bath: <\/strong>Muir (11mins), de Glanville (43 mins)<\/p>\n

Attendance<\/strong>: 7,989<\/p>\n

\u00a0https:\/\/www.theoffsideline.com\/tol-pod-episode-39-bath-time-with-duncan-hodge\/<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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