Bath 47 Harlequins 28
Can anyone stop the Bath juggernaut from rolling to Twickenham and lifting a first Premiership trophy in 29 years? On this evidence – a seven-try, 19-point swatting of in-form Harlequins – it will require a mighty effort by one of the other nine teams in English rugby’s top flight.
Bath are runaway league leaders and surely after this handsome victory, given lowly Newcastle also must travel to the Rec, a home semi-final is assured, with this West Country heartland expecting another tilt at a first Premiership title since the dawn of professionalism. This squad has too much depth and too much fortitude to not finish the season in the top two and, with Finn Russell at the helm – again majestic against Harlequins – the hosts registered their ninth win in the last 10 Premiership matches. With Bath cruising, Thomas Du Toit, Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill all came off the bench to remind everyone of their riches. Will Muir, on his return from injury, was immense, too, with two tries.
Plucked out the air and nudged perfectly into touch for a 50:22.
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 29, 2025
Vintage Finn Russell 🪄 pic.twitter.com/VChlvY9mTJ
“There are some very good teams in this brilliant league,” said Johann van Graan, Bath director of rugby. “We scored 47 points yet we’re not quite happy with our performance. But we’re over 200 now in points difference so it shows that across the season there’s a good understanding of our game. We want to attack well but that mustn’t be at the expense of our defence.
“We’re on 56 points and last season we finished on 60. There are so many variables and we’ll keep focusing. We just need to make sure we keep getting better.”
Harlequins arrived at the Rec in good form of their own, unbeaten in their last four league matches having stung Saracens in the derby last weekend, but the visitors trailed by 26 points after fewer minutes, with Bath having sewn up the bonus point within 23. Just about everything that could go wrong for Harlequins did in that opening quarter before a revival of sorts restored some degree of respectability, as well as a try bonus point.
With the visitors shipping points like they were going out of fashion, Joe Marler tweeted cryptically that “he needs to walk” before deleting. It was not clear who Harlequins’ legendary former loosehead was referring to and there was no chance to ask the club their thoughts given that they abstained from post-match media duties.
In the midst of it all, however, it is worth highlighting that Oscar Beard, the visitors’ outside centre who is very much on the England radar, is a serious talent. Luke Northmore, Beard’s midfield partner, reminded everyone of his prowess, too.
Made and finished by Luke Northmore 👏@Harlequins are on the scoreboard.#GallagherPrem | #BATvHARpic.twitter.com/x4bhBijxPW
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