The men’s 1^st XV, including 10 of the Bath Rugby Academy, were in outstanding form throughout, feeding off the energy of a vocal crowd to dominate for much of the 80 minutes and run in five tries, including scores from the club's Jasper Spandler, Archie Griffin and Mackenzie Graham.

Sam Harris was also in fantastic form with the boot, kicking three penalties and three conversions as Team Bath secured victory in the University of Bath’s student-sport showpiece for the third successive occasion.

Archie Stanley, Ethan Staddon, Byron Lloyd-Gilmour, Louie Hennessey, Murdoch Lock and Scott Kirk were also involved on a special night.

Aaron James, Head of Rugby at the University of Bath, said: “I’d like to thank everyone for that win and that celebration. The work that Mark Lilley and Ryan Davis did during the week was outstanding, and we’re pleased to get that kind of result in front of an amazing crowd on an amazing occasion.” Lilley and Davis are both coaches in the academy programme at Bath Rugby.

Team Bath, sponsored by Bath Building Society, ran out to a huge roar from the vocal crowd and immediately gave them another reason to cheer, Sam Harris slotting over a penalty inside the opening two minutes only for Will Nicholson to reply in kind moments later.

The home side were very much on the front foot, though, and deservedly regained the lead in the 16^th minute through another penalty from Harris.

They then notched the first try in fine style five minutes later as a, from a lineout in the Durham 22, Harlequins Academy centre Ludo Kolade collected a pass and stepped inside a defender before rolling over the line.

Harris’ kick was again successful and he confidently added another penalty from distance just after the half-hour mark as Team Bath went 16-3 up.

An almost flawless first half was capped in the 39^th minute when Team Bath unleashed their line-out drive to fantastic effect as England U20 hooker Spandler touched down for his fifth try of the season, giving the hosts a 21-3 advantage at the break.

With both sets of players wearing rainbow laces on National Rainbow Laces Day, the second half got under way with Team Bath picking up where they had left off before the interval. A brilliant kick to touch from Harris put them back in the Durham 22 and Number 8 George Doel produced an incisive line break to carve through for their third try, leaving a simple conversion.

Durham had hardly featured as an attacking force all evening but got their first try of the evening soon after as scrum-half Max Pepper peeled off a scrum in the Team Bath 22 to run over unopposed.

Team Bath didn’t let that knock them out of their stride, though, and they secured a bonus point on the hour when a sustained period of pressure on the Durham line ended with prop Griffin burrowing over for the hosts’ fourth try. Harris’s conversion made it 35-8.

The Rec was rocking and the noise got even louder soon after when Graham scored the try of the evening, collecting the ball 30m out and producing some mesmeric footwork to send a defender in both directions before surging into the corner and fending off a last-ditch tackle for a stunning touchdown.

Durham scored again late on through Number 8 Marcus Rhodes but it was no more than a consolation as Team Bath wrapped up a memorable victory.

They return to their regular home venue, the Sports Training Village at the University of Bath, for their next match against old rivals Loughborough. That is taking place on Wednesday 2 November, 18:30 kick-off, and admission is free.

Team Bath storm to victory over Durham in Rengen Anniversary Game at The Rec

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