MATCH REPORT: Bath Rugby 32 Wasps 25
Anthony Watson highlighted his credentials as a potential England winger by grabbing a brace of tries as Bath Rugby secured a bonus-point win over Wasps in the Aviva Premiership this afternoon.
The youngster, who does not turn 20 until Wednesday, has been named in England's RBS 6 Nations squad but has so far been overlooked by head coach Stuart Lancaster on match days.
And Bath were allowed to benefit from his qualities to the full today, as Watson grabbed the first two of their four tries at The Rec. In fact the only negative aspect of Watson's performance was that he was forced off in the final five minutes with a groin injury.
Full-back Nick Abendanon and another England omission, centre Kyle Eastmond, also touched down for Bath as they survived a tense encounter with their London rivals.
Nathan Hughes, Will Helu and Elliott Daly all crossed the whitewash for Wasps but Bath had just enough to hold on for victory to reinforce their hopes of a top-four finish.
Tom Heathcote gave Bath the lead inside two minutes with a close-range penalty but the fly-half was unable to double his side's advantage when given a second shot at goal from 35m soon afterwards.
The hosts were in total control during the early stages of the contest and scored their first try after 13 minutes thanks to five-metre scrum.
Number nine Micky Young delivered quick ball Eastmond and the England centre drew two tacklers before offloading to wing Watson, who pirouetted around James Short and over the whitewash. Heathcote was unable to convert from out wide.
Wasps then enjoyed a good spell and two penalties in quick succession from fly-half Joe Carlisle got them back into the match, before Heathcote replied with a kick of his own.
The visitors were the masters of their own downfall and gifted Bath and Watson a second try just before the half-hour mark.
Flanker Ashley Johnson muscled his way up the pitch in a powerful Wasps attack but scrum-half Charlie Davies threw a loose pass in the Bath 22, allowing Watson to intercept and charge 80m unopposed to score. Heathcote was given a simple conversion in front of the posts.
That kicked off a breathless spell with three tries scored in the space of seven minutes.
Wasps hit back when Davies took a quick tap penalty in the Bath 22, with the ball travelling from Johnson to back-row colleague Hughes and the number eight powered over in the corner. Carlisle added the extras.
But Bath responded instantaneously with their third try of the half. The hosts attacked from deep before Leroy Houston muscled his way through inside the Wasps 22 and offloaded to full-back Abendanon, who had the speed to finish off from 15m. Heathcote converted.
And there was still time for one more swing in momentum before the interval but Wasps ten Carlisle saw a penalty drift wide with the last kick of the half.
Carlisle's radar continued to falter in the early stages of the second half when another penalty was off target but he was reprieved fairly swiftly when Wasps got over the tryline again.
Fast hands by the Wasps back-line in the Bath 22 caused the hosts problems and wing Helu finished off the move out wide. Carlisle was this time able to split the posts for the extras.
But once again Bath were quick to reply and Eastmond grabbed their fourth try to make sure of a bonus point soon afterwards.
An excellent chip ahead by Heathcote kicked off the attack and the bounce favoured Ollie Devoto, who was able to get the ball back to Peter Stringer. The replacement scrum-half fed Eastmond, who outsprinted the covering the covering Wasps defence from 35m to dot down. Heathcote converted.
Wasps were in no mood to roll over, though, and were soon back on the attack themselves. They got a third try of their own when full-back Daly was just strong enough to force his way between Abendanon and Semesa Rokoduguni to charge over the tryline from close range. Carlisle's conversion attempt drifted wide.
Heathcote was then the culprit of a bad miss as he sent what seemed a routine penalty wide to set up a nervy conclusion. And although momentum swung back and forth in the final ten minutes, Bath remained composed to close out the win.BATH RUGBY: Abendanon, Watson (Palma-Newport 78), Devoto (Henson 64), Eastmond, Agulla (Rokoduguni 58), Heathcote, Young (Stringer 50), Catt, Batty (Guinazu 56), Orlandi (Perenise 50), Hooper (c), Day (Fa'osiliva 63), Garvey (Caldwell 71), Louw, Houston.Tries: Watson 2, Abendanon, Eastmond. Conversions: Heathcote 3. Penalties: Heathcote 2.WASPS: Daly (Bell 36-40), Helu, Masi, Bell (c), Short, Carlisle, Davies (Simpson 60), Mullan (McIntyre 60), Lindsay, Cooper-Woolley (Vea 71), Cannon (Lozada 69), Myall, Johnson, Haskell, Hughes (Thompson 60). Replacements not used: Davies, Hayter.Tries: Hughes, Helu, Daly. Conversions: Carlisle 2. Penalties: Carlisle 2Referee: Matthew CarleyAttendance: 12,200
