Bath, inspired by the return of Mike Catt, pulled off a victory which was
remarkable even in their record of European endeavour.
After a miserable run of four straight defeats in the Zurich Premiership
no-one gave the side much realistic chance of toppling a Biarritz team who were
heading the French championship.
But Bath have such a love affair with the Heineken Cup after winning the
competition four seasons ago that several hundred supporters travelled all the
way to the southern tip of France more in hope than expectation that their team
could pull it off.
A third penalty from Matt Perry edged them into a 9-6 lead after 74 minutes
and an injury-time try from left-wing Tom Voyce wrapped up an invaluable away
win in Pool 3.
It now establishes them as early favourites to qualify for the quarter-finals
for the first time in three years.
Catt's return from the calf injury that ruled him out of the Lions tour was
again the key to a performance that rid Bath of the demons that have been
haunting them in recent weeks.
Confidence flooded back, especially after Perry edged them 6-0 ahead with two
penalties inside the first seven minutes.
Former Newcastle wing Stuart Legg pulled back three points with a long-range
effort on 17 minutes but he was substituted shortly afterwards and the
goal-kicking was handed over to Joe Roff, the man who broke Lions' hearts in
Australia.
However Roff was wide with a simple kick just before half-time and it was not
until well into the second half before he was finally able to draw the sides
level from 30 metres.
Try opportunities were few and far between and both sides turned over
possession in a manner which must have frustrated both coaches.
As the game drifted into the last quarter Catt's astute kicking out of hand
and some stirring defence, particularly from Mike Tindall, set the game up for a
thrilling finale.
The turning point came with the appearance from the replacements bench of
former French hooker Jean Michel Gonzales, whose foul on Dan Lyle gave Perry the
chance to kick his third penalty.
Bath, capitalising on their dominance of the line-out, maintained the pressure
and a strong tackle by Lyle spilled the ball on the Bath side inside the
Biarritz 22 and flanker Gavin Thomas delivered a perfect one-handed pass to
Voyce who sped in from 15 metres.
Perry was wide with the conversion but, with an eight-point advantage and just
two minutes of injury time remaining the hundreds of Bath supporters were
already celebrating yet another famous victory on French soil.
Teams:
Biarritz: Brusque, Legg, Bousses, Isaac, Roff, Peyrelongue,
Morlaes, Puleoto, Curnier, Avril, Nouchi, Roumat, Betsen,
Milheres, Nauroy.
Not Used: Fitzgerald, Gonzales, Matiu, Chouchan, Mazas, Bidabe,
Bernat-Salles.
Pens: Legg, Roff.
Bath: Perry, Balshaw, Maggs, Tindall, Voyce, Catt,
Williams,
D. Barnes, Long, Mallett, Borthwick, Grewcock, G. Thomas,
N. Thomas, Lyle.
Not Used: Cooper, Regan, Hopcroft, Thirlby, Barkley, Lloyd,
Gabey.
Tries: Voyce.
Pens: Perry 3.
Att: 6,500
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