Premiership: Bath 26-31 Wasps

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, Wasps' Marcus Watson slides over for a try
  • Author, James Law
  • Role, 大象传媒 Sport

Marcus Watson scored twice as Wasps recorded a thrilling bonus-point win at Bath to move second in the Premiership.

Up against brother Anthony, Marcus Watson found the corner twice but then got a yellow for a deliberate knock-on.

Dan Robson also went over for Wasps but Rhys Priestland and Jack Wilson scored to cut Bath's deficit to 19-14.

Bath's Paul Grant scored in between tries from Wasps' Juan de Jongh and Gaby Lovobalavu and Zach Mercer's score was not enough for the spirited hosts.

There were nine tries and two yellow cards in all at The Rec, with Wasps also losing Willie le Roux for 10 minutes in the second half for offside.

Victory lifts Dai Young's side above Saracens and to within six points of leaders Exeter before Saturday's fixtures, while Bath picked up two bonus points to close the gap on fourth to just one point.

Wasps were hit by the late withdrawal of Kyle Eastmond through injury, but Fiji centre Lovobalavu deputised well in his place.

The visitors, who were 19-0 up after 22 minutes, were almost made to pay for their indiscipline but saw the game out impressively for a sixth successive Premiership triumph.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young told 大象传媒 Coventry and Warwickshire:

"It was a bit more entertaining than we would have liked to be quite honest.

"First 25 minutes I thought we were outstanding, I thought we played some real good stuff and then we became a little bit loose.

"I don't want to put too much of a dampener on it, to come here and get a bonus point win we've got to be really happy with that, but there's things for us to work on as well.

"We didn't need to make it as hard as we did really, I think we should have been a bit more comfortable."

Bath: A. Watson; Jack Wilson, Joseph, James Wilson, Brew; Priestland, Fotuali'i; Obano, Dunn, Thomas, Ewels, Charteris, Garvey (capt), Grant, Mercer.

Replacements: Van Vuuren, Noguera, Lahiff, Stooke, Phillips, Cook, Burns, Atkins.

Wasps: Le Roux; Wade, De Jongh, Lovobalavu, M. Watson; Cipriani, Robson; McIntyre, Cruse, Cooper-Woolley, Launchbury (capt), Myall, Haskell, Young, Carr.

Replacements: Johnson, Harris, Moore, Gaskell, Thompson, Simpson, Miller, Armitage.

Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU).