Eight Bath Rugby Academy players were involved as Team Bath’s hopes of finishing top of the BUCS Super Rugby took a dent following a 24-19 defeat to Nottingham.
Will Jeanes and Harvey Cuckson paired up in the second row while Mackenzie Graham and Thompson Cowan started as flankers.
Tom Carr-Smith controlled proceedings from scrum-half with Byron Lloyd-Gilmour on the wing. Jasper Spandler and Eddie Erskine also featured from the bench.
Bath got off to an excellent start with the driving maul proving a useful weapon once again. “A Mark Lills special” as Tom Doughty called it on commentary with hooker Duncan Hood credited with the score.
Nottingham hit back hard in the first period and two converted tries, plus a penalty, saw the visitors take a 17-7 lead into half-time.
After the break, the University of Bath responded shortly after the break, and it was replacement hooker Spandler who continued his fine scoring form. The Bath youngster made it 14 tries for the season, burrowing over from the back of another trademark line-out.
Midway through the second period Bath wrestled back control on the scoreboard. A lovely kick over the top bounced kindly for centre Austin Emens to dive over.
But hopes of victory were dashed in the closing stages with a third Nottingham converted try saw them clinch their BUCS Super Rugby status.
For Bath, the title race isn’t entirely over and if top spot isn’t achievable, the prospect of the play-off also remains.
