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- Tigers wing Ollie Hassell-Collins inexplicably dropped the ball over the line
- Bath were deserved winners, outscoring their opponents three tries to one
- Leicester’s deficit would have been wiped out had Hassell-Collins not blundered
Ollie Hassell-Collins’ howler cost Leicester dearly as Bath survived star man Finn Russell having a rare off-day of his own.
This was a scrappy game, regular errors from both sides punctuating play. A rogue squirrel entering the field was one moment where the crowd saw some running in space.
Tigers wing Hassell-Collins inexplicably dropped the ball over the line under no pressure in the act of trying to score what would have been a crucial five points.
Bath were deserved winners, outscoring their opponents three tries to one to make up for the fact that fly-half Russell left his kicking boots at home.
But Leicester’s final deficit would have been wiped out had Hassell-Collins not blundered in the costliest of fashions.
Ollie Hassell-Collins’ howler proved costly for Leicester in their 20-15 defeat by Bath
Tigers wing Hassell-Collins inexplicably dropped the ball over the line under no pressure
‘That’s as simplistic as it comes, so there is nothing to talk about,’ Leicester boss Michael Cheika said of Hassell-Collins’ blunder, which came after a victory over Exeter in his first game in charge.
‘The player knows. At half time, it’s more about keeping his head up. These things happen.
‘There’s nothing I can say. It’s about how he reacts. I don’t want players to say sorry.
‘We’re in it together. There were too many errors in key moments. We had opportunities to win it and didn’t take them. I’m very disappointed.’
Bath’s England centre Ollie Lawrence was, by some distance, the game’s standout performer.
Leicester weren’t helped by a second yellow in as many Premiership games for new Australian signing Izaia Perese, who hit Joe Cokanasiga late.
Cokanasiga failed his head injury assessment.
Then came Hasell-Collins’ moment to forget. Cheika managed a wry smile in the coaching box. Jamie Shillcock kicked a home penalty, but Lawrence created Bath’s Will Muir opener.
Jack van Poortvliet, Leicester captain for the day, sniped over to ensure his team led at the break. But the errors then mounted up. Muir was carried off, forcing Bath into a back-line reshuffle.
Referee Craig Maxwell-Keys was felled, adding to the sense of carnage.
Russell simply couldn’t get going, missing touch and kicking waywardly from the tee. He failed to convert further Bath tries from Tom de Glanville and Guy Pepper.
Bath survived Finn Russell having a rare off-day after he left his kicking boots at home
England centre Ollie Lawrence was, by some distance, the game’s standout performer
Ben Spencer took over duties with the boot and nailed a crucial penalty, meaning Dan Cole’s late effort only resulted in Leicester taking home a losing bonus.
Bath turned down the chance to go for a four-try bonus, Russell kicking the ball out at the death.
Bath’s head of rugby Johann van Graan described Lawrence as ‘class’.
He added: ‘I haven’t been involved in a game where you lose both your wingers.
‘We had to be fluid and problem solve. We handled the situation well, but it looks like we’ll be without both our wingers next week.’
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