Martin Johnson was unable to inspire Leicester as Zurich Premiership leaders
Bath snatched their first victory at Welford Road in eight years on Saturday.
The England skipper and the rest of the Tigers' Magnificent Seven all made
their comebacks but Bath hung on for a famous win despite being reduced to
14-men for the second week in succession after scrum-half Martyn Wood was sent
off for stamping.
Johnson, who was given a rousing welcome by the sell-out 16,815 crowd, made
his club return at half-time with his side trailing by four points.
The Tigers have been a toothless force without their second row giant and the
rest of their England men having lost five of their opening 10 games but would
have expected to overcome their visitors given their numerical advantage.
But it will clearly take longer for the World Cup winners to be re-integrated
into the squad.
Tigers Director of Rugby Dean Richards does not have much time with their
opening Heineken Cup clash with Stade Francais just a week away.
Bath's hopes of a league double over their arch-rivals - and a first win at
Welford Road since 1995 - looked to have been hit mid-way through the first half
when they lost two players in quick succession for vastly different reasons.
Wood, who made a lengthy and all too brief trip to Australia on stand-by
duties, was instantly shown the red card by referee Roy Maybank after he was
spotted stamping after 25 minutes.
The visitors were still looking to regroup when they were forced into another
change when outside-half Mike Catt limped off although at least his replacement
was Mike Tindall, the clubmate who was picked ahead of him for last Saturday's
World Cup final.
Bath were left clinging onto the lead given them after centre Andrew Higgins
broke clear 40 metres out and fended off several weak challengers to score near
the near the posts for Olly Barkley to convert.
Barkley added a penalty 10 minutes into injury time to give them more of a
buffer for the expected second-half onslaught from a Leicester side who
desperately needed a victory to revive a disappointing season.
Johnson, Neil Back and Dorian West all came off the bench to join Julian
White, Ben Kay, Martin Corry and Lewis Moody who had all been pressed into
action just days after the raucous celebrations of last Saturday's Rugby World
Cup final victory over Australia in Sydney.
Leicester should have used their man advantage to telling effect but often
kicked away possession or made crucial handling errors in the greasy
conditions.
Still two penalties from outside-half Ramiro Pez - following up the two he
scored in the first-half - looked to have given them the victory they needed
after such a disappointing start to the campaign.
But Bath snatched the win when Barkley coolly landed a penalty with just
minutes left after Leicester had been caught offside.
A win was no more than Bath deserved after a stunning rearguard action in the
second-half with Tindall proving awesome in midfield with a series of crunching
tackles.
Forward Danny Grewcock also came on as a replacement to ensure that all 10 of
the England men on duty appeared although it was the Bath trio not the Leicester
Seven who were smiling at the end.
It might have been different had Pez converted a penalty six minutes into time
but he pulled his effort wide to spoil the homecoming.
Teams
Leicester: Healey, F. Tuilagi, Smith, Gibson, Holtby, Pez,
Tierney, Rowntree, Richards, White, L. Deacon, Kay, Corry,
Moody, Balding.
Replacements: Vesty for Tierney (66), Morris for Rowntree (20),
West for Richards (53), M. Johnson for Kay (41),
Back for Moody (43).
Not Used: H. Tuilagi, Gelderbloom.
Pens: Pez 4.
Bath: Perry, Human, A. Higgins, Barkley, Danielli, Catt, Wood,
Flatman, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Fidler, Beattie,
Scaysbrook, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Kydd for A. Higgins (54), Tindall for Catt (23),
Mears for Humphreys (57), Stevens for Bell (63),
Grewcock for Fidler (63), Martens for Scaysbrook (26).
Not Used: Gray.
Tries: A. Higgins.
Cons: Barkley.
Pens: Barkley 2.
Sent Off: Wood (22).
Att: 16,815
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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