Rampant Bath finished top of the Zurich Premiership and secured a Grand Final place at Twickenham later this month by recording a thumping victory over their West Country rivals Gloucester.

Bath, league leaders for most of the season, stunned Gloucester with an outstanding performance which produced tries for flanker Andy Beattie, replacement hooker Lee Mears, wing Wylie Human and substitute wing Alex Crockett.

Fly-half Chris Malone added 21 points from the boot and it was a perfect send-off for England star Mike Catt, who received a standing ovation on his final appearance before joining London Irish next season.

Gloucester never remotely threatened to burst Bath's bubble, and they must settle for fourth spot and a place in the wild card play-off next weekend.

Gloucester though will qualify for top-flight European rugby next term if Wasps defeat Toulouse in the Heineken Cup final on May 23.

Bath can now look forward to a Twickenham appointment with either Wasps or Northampton in three weeks' time after finishing the regular season six points clear of second-placed Wasps.

Bath, after losing two Premiership games in succession, were determined not to fall at the final hurdle, and they were roared on by a capacity crowd.

The home side made their intention clear from the start, dominating territory, but it took them 13 minutes to open their account thanks to a Malone penalty.

Rival hookers Jonathan Humphreys and Chris Fortey were lucky to escape a spell in the sin-bin following a punch-up on 20 minutes, but Bath continued to dominate and Malone kicked three further penalties, one from 50 metres, to ensure a 12-0 interval lead.

Gloucester needed to strike quickly in the second half to have any chance of clawing back the deficit, but centre Henry Paul missed a straightforward penalty and wing Marcel Garvey was denied a try in the corner by a brilliant Matt Perry tackle.

Gloucester never threatened after that and the final 25 minutes belonged entirely to Bath as they rattled up a further 29 points.

Outstanding flanker Beattie grabbed their opening try when he collected a pass from England lock Danny Grewcock, and a Malone penalty made it 20-0 entering the closing quarter.

By this stage it was a damage-limitation exercise for Gloucester and Mears rubbed salt into a gaping wound when he danced around Gloucester scrum-half Andy Gomarsall for a try that Malone converted.

Catt appeared off the bench eight minutes from time and just two minutes later, Bath scored again when Beattie intercepted Paul's optimistic midfield pass, and although the flanker did not quite have enough pace to get there, Human finished things off.

Malone again converted, and although Gloucester managed a consolation try from substitute hooker Delarey du Preez, converted by Paul, Bath predictably had the final say.

Crockett secured the bonus point by scampering over from close range, and Malone's conversion took Bath past 40 points and the celebration could begin ahead of their Twickenham visit on May 29.

It is the first time since 1996 that Bath have finished top of the league, but unlike then, they now have to play another game to try and confirm their status as what many people would suggest are worthy champions.

Teams:

Bath: Perry, A. Higgins, Davey, Fleck, Human, Malone, Wood, Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Grewcock, Beattie, Lipman, Fea'unati.

Replacements: Catt for Perry (71), Crockett for A. Higgins (77), Blake for Wood (77), Flatman for Barnes (56), Mears for Humphreys (59), Scaysbrook for Lipman (77).

Not Used: Fidler.

Tries: Beattie, Mears, Human, Crockett.

Cons: Malone 3.

Pens: Malone 5.

Gloucester: Goodridge, Garvey, Fanolua, Paul, Simpson-Daniel, McRae, Gomarsall, Woodman, Fortey, Deacon, Cornwell, Brown, Boer, Buxton, Paramore.

Replacements: Amor for Gomarsall (69), Dupreez for Fortey (69), Eustace for Cornwell (69), Hazell for Paramore (40).

Not Used: Roncero, Wood, Todd.

Tries: Dupreez.

Cons: Paul.

Att: 9,980

Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).