Bath end 29-year wait for Premiership title

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Bath won 14 of their 18 matches during the regular season to finish top [Getty Images]
Gallagher Premiership final
Bath (13) 23
Tries: Du Toit, Ojomoh Cons: Russell 2 Pens: Russell 3
Leicester (7) 21
Tries: Van Poortvliet, Kata, Ilione Cons: Pollard 3
Bath held off resilient Leicester Tigers to win their first Premiership title in 29 years with a narrow 23-21 victory at Allianz Stadium Twickenham that also clinched a 2024-25 treble.
The tense triumph crowns Bath as champions of England for the seventh time in their history but the first since 1996.
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They were the trailblazing team in the league this season and went into the final as overwhelming favourites after finishing 11 points clear at the top of the table.
Jack van Poortvliet gave Leicester an early lead but Thomas du Toit's try and another from Max Ojomah - created by Finn Russell's show-stopping interception - pushed Bath 13 points ahead.
Solomone Kata pulled back a crucial try for the Tigers but when departing Leicester legend Dan Cole was sent to the sin-bin with 11 minutes to go, Russell slotted a second penalty.
Tigers still had something in the tank and Emeka Ilione's score five minutes from time set up a grandstand finish but Bath held on.
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Bath also become the first English team since opponents Leicester in 2001 to seal a treble, after winning the Premiership Rugby Cup and the European Challenge Cup earlier this season.
The final was billed as a revival of the rivalry between two giants of English rugby.
The pair won 12 of the first 15 Premiership titles under the league's previous format and finished as the top two in each of 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2000.
Despite their underdog status, Leicester started more than up for the fight, owning possession in the opening minutes, winning two scrums and the first penalty, allowing Handre Pollard to kick to the corner.
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Their pack mauled forward from a line-out and an opportunist Van Poortvliet saw a gap to sneak in.
Russell eased Bath nerves with a penalty but neither side could get into their flow in the midst of a stuttering start.
Bath eventually ramped up the pressure, probing Leicester's line from the left then right as their forwards picked up the mantle and Du Toit surged over.
And when Leicester skipper Julian Montoya was shown a yellow for a high tackle on Ted Hill his side were forced into defensive mode to see out the half.
Tigers wing Adam Radwan held Miles Reid up over the line as Bath pushed for more but Russell kicked a second penalty from distance to make it 13-7 at half-time.
Bath last won a league title in 1996 but have ended 2024-25 with a treble [PA Media]
Leicester have a host of players departing the club this summer including Pollard, who missed a penalty and then saw a pass intercepted by a surging Russell, who sprinted clear when Leicester were enjoying a spell with the ball.
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With Ojomah keeping pace with the Scot on the break, Russell spun a looping pass for his team-mate to dive under the posts.
Guy Pepper's brilliant strength to shake off two tacklers and touch down in the corner almost stretched Bath's lead further only for the score to be scratched for a knock-on by Will Muir.
Tigers seemed spurred on by the let-off and Kata pulled them back into it from close range.
There was still time for more twists as, minutes after coming on for his final appearance before retirement, Cole was sent to the bin for a charging tackle on Russell whose subsequent penalty made it 23-14.
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Leicester would not lie down though and Ilione wrestled his way through the Bath bodies to set up a thrilling finale that Johann van Graan's side managed to see out.
More to follow.
Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Redpath, Muir; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit; Roux, Ewels, Hill, Pepper, Reid.
Replacements: Annett, Van Wyk, Stuart, Molony, Bayliss, Carr-Smith, Donoghue, Barbeary.
Leicester: Steward; Radwan, Kata, Woodward, Hassell-Collins; Pollard, Van Poortvliet; Smith, Montoya (c), Heyes; Henderson, Chessum, Liebenberg, Reffell, Cracknell.
Replacements: Clare, Cronin, Cole, Rogerson, Ilione, Youngs, Volavola, Perese.
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Sin bin: Montoya (28 mins), Cole (69 mins)
Referee: Karl Dickson