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RNZ News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Sports News for 15 July 2025
New Zealand is through to the final of the under-20 rugby World Cup after beating France 34-26 in their semi-final in Italy. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Bath 34-20 Bristol Bears: Hosts keep treble dreams alive as they reach second straight Premiership final with victory in all-time classic
In an all-time Premiership classic, Bath's treble dream stayed alive as they sealed a place in English club rugby's domestic final for the second straight season. Johann van Graan's side have been the best team in the country this term and have also won the Premiership Rugby Cup and European Challenge Cup. Now, they are only one game away from a third trophy after surviving a significant scare by Bristol who played some scintillating attacking rugby. This really was a brilliant encounter. Bath will now face one of either Leicester or Sale – who meet in the second play-off semi-final on Saturday in the league decider – and the fact they came through to win here marks them out as a potentially true champion team. Four quick Bath tries at the start of the second half proved decisive as Pat Lam's Bristol – who went for broke in the first 40 – ran out of puff badly after the break. Bath, beaten in the 2024 final by Northampton, now look like title winners elect a year later. They deserve immense credit for this win, scoring 28 unanswered second-half points. Bath head of rugby Van Graan isn't one for too much emotion, but he looked rightly delighted at his team's dominance after a tough start. Bath's supporters have had plenty to cheer about this season already with two trophies in the bag. They stood 10 deep to welcome their players into The Rec, blue smoke and fireworks lighting up the sky. Finn Russell, unsurprisingly, looked relaxed to the point of horizontal. There had been plenty of pre-game spice, Bristol's England prop Ellis Genge saying he grew up with a 'hate' for Bath and had a 'personal vendetta' against the hosts. Bristol director of rugby Lam had also expressed pre-match confidence, based on the fact his team had beaten Bath in 11 of the last 14 meetings prior to this one. Genge paced the pitch like a caged animal waiting to be unleashed during the warm-up. He even had a word with Bath supporters as he ran out of the tunnel and when the game began, was then almost immediately penalised for foul language and dissent by referee Christophe Ridley. Temperatures were high and that was certainly true of the simmering atmosphere was febrile, The Rec packed out with vociferous home was English club rugby at its best. AJ MacGinty gave Bristol a 3-0 lead. The Bears had come to play. Kalaveti Ravouvou chased backed to cover a long Bath kick. He didn't just alleviate the danger, he caused havoc – running over Ben Spencer and making 50 metres. When the ball was recycled back left, Genge's fine pass sent James Dun over and MacGinty's kick made it 10-0. Ravouvou then went from saint to sinner, yellow carded for tripping Bath captain Spencer as he looked to play quickly. Russell narrowed the home deficit. Bristol were running everything, mixing the sublime with the daft. But their intent and ball handling were just superb. At times, it was like watching the Harlem Globetrotters. Only a brilliant Guy Pepper steal stopped Bristol from grabbing a second while down to 14. MacGinty then turned down a kickable penalty, perhaps with a try in mind but also with the aim of running down the clock before Ravouvou could return. Bath had struggled to get their trademark power game going, chasing white shirts more often than having possession themselves. And when they did have a number of phases, Bristol held out with Benhard Janse van Rensburg coming up trumps at the breakdown. On the verge of the break, the Bears were dealt a cruel blow. Their livewire No 9 Harry Randall, so key to their high-tempo game, was forced off cradling his arm. On came Kieran Marmion as the drama continued. Ravouvou hit Alfie Barbeary high, risking a second yellow that would have seen him sent off. But Ridley decided on a penalty only, Russell and MacGinty swapping penalties to end the half with Bristol 13-6 up. Everyone needed a break after that first was simply compelling stuff. Bath started the second half like a house on fire with Miles Reid on for Barbeary. Bristol conceded a simple penalty, Russell went to the corner, and on his 50th Bath appearance Ted Hill dived over. Russell converted and in an instant, it was 13-13. At the other end, Hill then produced an astonishing try-saving tackle on the maverick Ravouvou. Such was the scintillating pace of the encounter that the replacements came early on both sides. If The Rec had a roof, it would have come off in the 49th minute. Tom de Glanville kicked ahead, Ravouvou couldn't collect as the ball bounced wickedly, and hulking Bath wing Joe Cokanasiga pounced to score. The explosion of noise was cataclysmic and Russell's kick put Bath seven to the good. Bristol had shipped two quick tries in costly fashion and it soon got worse for them, Will Muir making it three in the opposite corner to Cokanasiga. Russell's kicking was exemplary all night and he converted from the of a sudden, it was one-way traffic. The momentum swing was astonishing and Marmion saw yellow with Bristol under intense pressure. As Bath turned up the power, Bristol unravelled. Max Ojomoh made it four and that was the game. Genge was then held up over the line and replaced, his immense disappointment obvious as he trudged off. Janse van Rensburg grabbed a late away consolation. But for Bath, the emotion was of sheer joy. They will take some beating in Saturday's final. Russell limped from the field late on, but his injury didn't look serious as he departed by chirpsing Bristol centre James Williams.
