The reliable boot of Jon Preston saw Bath off to a winning start in the
Heineken Cup against Castres.
Six penalties and a conversion from the former All Black put enough daylight
between the sides for Bath to withstand a late rally from their French
opponents.
Chief coach Jon Callard's decision to reinstate Preston, albeit at fly-half
rather than scrum-half, was entirely justified.
And it appears to have solved the temporary problem over a replacement for the
injured Mike Catt.
Apart from kicking six penalties out of seven, Preston's domination at number
10 instantly transformed the Bath back line from the hesitant outfit of recent
weeks.
After ex-Lion fly-half Gregor Townsend opened the scoring with a penalty on
three minutes for the visitors, Preston prised open the Castres defence by
putting Phil de Granville through a gap.
Although the try did not materialise Castres were caught offside and the New
Zealander levelled the scores.
Two more penalties gave Bath the initiative before Preston worked a loop with
de Granville and sent Matt Perry clear on the outside.
Number eight Dan Lyle was perfectly placed on the England full-back's shoulder
to score under the post.
Penalties apiece for Townsend and Preston left Bath ahead at the break before
Preston added another nine minutes into the second half.
One area of the game in which Castres held the upper hand was the scrummage,
but former Lions lock Jeremy Davidson must have been disappointed at their
failure to capitalise.
Even when John Mallett was sin-binned for the second time in two weeks, this
time for punching, Castres failed to make their numerical superiority count.
Preston landed his sixth penalty in the 74th minute and it was not until
injury time that Castres managed to work number eight Ismella Lassissi over for
a try from a touch penalty, with Townsend adding a conversion.
Bath:
Tries: Lyle.
Cons: Preston.
Pens: Preston 6.
Bath: Perry, Balshaw, De Glanville,
Tindall, A. Adebayo,Preston, Cooper, Barnes, Regan, Mallett, Haag, Borthwick,
G. Thomas, Clarke, Lyle.
Not Used: Berne, Long, Horsman, Voyce, Maggs, Gardiner,
N. Thomas.
Castres:
Tries: Lassissi.
Cons: Townsend.
Pens: Townsend 2.
Castres: Plisson, Biboulet,
Artiguste, Berryman, Garrigues,
Townsend, Albouy, Toussaint, Batut, Tsabadze, Bourdet,
Davidson, Costes, Diaz, Lassissi.
Not Used: Reggiardo, R. Vigneaux, D. Dima, Chinaro, Taussac,Seguier, Larkin.
Ref: N Williams (Cardiff (WRFU)).
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