MATCH REPORT: Bath Rugby 39 Brive 7
Horacio Agulla scored a hat-trick of tries as Bath Rugby romped into the Amlin Cup quarter-finals with a big win over Top 14 side Brive on Sunday.
This was the first meeting between the two sides since their famous showdown in the 1998 Heineken Cup final.
Bath edged to a dramatic 19-18 victory that day but there was never any danger of such a close-fought contest materialising at The Rec this time.
Argentina international Agulla relished a rare starting opportunity on the wing with a try treble, while France-bound full-back Nick Abendanon, Fijian flyer Semesa Rokoduguni and scrum-half Micky Young also dotted down. Keiran Murphy claimed a consolation score for the French visitors.
Mike Ford's side will now compete in an all-English semi-final line-up and travel to the winners of Wasps' clash at home to Gloucester – which takes place this evening – in the last four. Northampton Saints host Harlequins in other encounter.
Bath's George Ford had an off-colour day with the boot and his wobbles were evident from his first kick at goal. The fly-half sent a penalty wide after six minutes – the first of four misses in the opening period.
It did not take Bath long to break the deadlock, however, with Agulla claiming the first of his hat-trick. The hosts got the ball wide and Agulla's dummy fooled Brive full-back Laurent Ferres, allowing the Argentina winger to dot down in the corner. Ford was unable to convert.
Fly-half Ford was able to split the posts at the third time of asking when he landed a penalty midway through the first period before Bath romped clear with three tries in the final ten minutes of the half.
The hosts won a penalty in the Brive 22 and scrum-half Young caught the visiting defence napping with a quick tap to send Abendanon under the sticks. Ford converted.
Rokoduguni then recovered an iffy pass from Gavin Henson to dot down. The Fijian winger claimed a bouncing ball, pirouetted past opposite number Venione Voretamaya and raced 20m to the tryline.
Henson was the provider for Bath's final score of the half as well, although this time the pass was much more clinical. The Welshman picked out Agulla midway inside the Bath half and the Argentine darted 65m up the left wing to score.
Ford was unable to convert either of Bath's final two tries but the hosts still headed into the changing rooms 25-0 to the good.
The pattern continued after the interval and it took Bath just four minutes to get back over the whitewash.
Number eight Carl Fearns drove forward and was hauled to the floor just short of the Brive line and scrum-half Young picked up and muscled his way over from close range. This time Ford was able to convert.
Agulla then completed his hat-trick – and Bath's scoring – after 50 minutes. Matt Banahan bludgeoned his way up the middle of the pitch, the ball went wide to Agulla and the winger galloped home from 30m, with Ford adding the extras.
Brive got themselves a consolation score with 12 minutes to play when Murphy touched down. A penalty was sent to the corner, Victor Lebas claimed the lineout and the Brive pack drove over the line with number eight Murphy claiming the score. Thomas Laranjeira converted from out wide.
The visitors would finish the game with 14 men when replacement back-rower Hugues Briatte was sent to the sin-bin for throwing a punch at Banahan but there was not enough time for Bath to increase their advantage before the final whistle.BATH RUGBY: Abendanon, Agulla, Banahan, Henson, Rokoduguni (Watson 68), Ford (Eastmond 50), Young (Roberts 50), Catt (James 65), Batty (Dunn 50), Perenise (Orlandi 50), Day, Attwood (c) (Hooper 61), Garvey (Houston 61), Mercer (Garvey 73), Fearns.Tries: Agulla 3, Abendanon, Rokoduguni, Young Conversions: Ford 3 Penalties: FordBRIVE: Ferreres, Voretamaya, Delage, Laranjeira, Galala, Sola, Sanchou (c), Lavergne, Acosta, Coetzee, Le Devedec, Pinet, Naikatini, Laurent, Murphy. Replacements: Shvelidze, Leupolu, Tuncer, Lebas, Briatte, Kusiolek, Mailei, Neisen.Try: Murphy Conversion: LaranjeiraReferee: John LaceyAttendance: 9,331
