Bath Rugby 61-26 Gloucester Rugby LIVE: Reaction and highlights from the Rec (2025)

Reaction from Bath Rugby captain Ben Spencer

Spencer said:

We would love to win both competitions. We set out our goals at the start of the season and the Premiership and Europe are right up there. The great thing about this group is we just come each week looking to get better.

There are still areas we could improve on in defence. If you look at Leinster, who are right up there, they have nilled two sides in recent weeks. That is a real area of improvement for us, I think if we can get that right then we will be very hard to beat.

Reaction from Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington

Skivington said:

I think we made more errors, particularly in the first half, than we have done all season.

Bath were better across the board.

We felt if we could cut out some of the errors we could be in the game in the second half but ultimately in the second half we didn't execute anything.

EPCR confirm the Challenge Cup quarter-final dates

Saturday 3 May

Edinburgh Rugby (3) v Bath Rugby (10), Hive Stadium (15.00)

Premier Sports / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport / FloRugby

Sunday 4 May

Lyon Olympique Universitaire (5) v Racing 92 (9), Matmut Stadium de Gerland (13.30)

France Télévisions / beIN SPORTS / Premier Sports / SuperSport / FloRugby

Alfie Barbeary's player of the match interview

Barbeary said:

It is a huge result for us.

It is great to get one over on Gloucester as well.

Our depth in the squad makes us so competitive and I don't think any team can compete with us when the bench comes on.

Official player of the match

Number eight Alfie Barbeary gets the gong from broadcasters Premier Sports.

Stay tuned

Full reaction to follow...

FULL TIME - Bath Rugby 61-26 Gloucester

That turned out to be comprehensive.

Bath Rugby are into the Challenge Cup semi-final away at Edinburgh.

61-26

TRY - Bath Rugby - 61-26

That is exceptional rugby from Bath.

Tom de Glanville and Max Ojomoh combine down the right wing with the winger slipping a stunning pass.

Will Butt then explodes through the centre and makes 30m before getting cut down short of the line, but Tom Carr-Smith picks up and dives over the line.

Finn Russell converts from right in front of the sticks.

That is an ugly scoreline the for the Cherry and Whites.

61-26

TRY - Gloucester Rugby - 54-26

Ruan Ackermann gives a one handed pass right on the try line to Lewis Ludlow who gathers and touches down.

The TMO takes a look to see if the pass was forward but passes it.

Santi Carreras adds the conversion.

54-26

TRY - Bath Rugby - 54-19

Ted Hill heaps more misery on Gloucester with a close range pick and go, using his long frame to bend and unfold through Gareth Anscombe.

Finn Russell adds the extras.

54-19

Gloucester forced to gamble

The Cherry and Whites are getting more and more desperate and are increasingly running from deep but Jacob Morris gives a forward pass on the edge of his 22 to hand Bath the ball in another dangerous position.

47-19

Injury concern

Jaco Coetzee is off having crashed into the posts and Gloucester defenders on his way to the try line.

47-19

TRY - Bath Rugby - 47-19

That should be the game for Bath.

Attacking from a lineout from 25m out, the ball comes out to the backs and Gloucester just get their defensive read all wrong, with Lewis Ludlow breaking out the line to leave a dog leg for Jaco Coetzee to burst through a gap and explosively drive and dive for the line.

Finn Russell adds the extras.

47-19

Vital tackle

Gloucester go through the phases in attack without making much ground but new man Charlie Atkinson, on for Will Butler who is off for a HIA, zips a flat pass to Christian Wade who looks like he is away, that is until Will Muir chops him down with a vital bit of defensive play.

40-19

Tap from deep

Santi Carreras takes a tap penalty deep in his 22 and motors down-field before linking with Tomos Williams.

The ball is then spread widev by the Welshman to Jacob Morris who comes up with a wonderful step to go beyond Tom de Glanville, but then gets tied up and isolated.

Bath counter ruck and win a penalty for holding on.

40-19

Held up

Bath opt for a 5m tap penalty and go for the line through Tom Dunn.

The hooker is stopped short then the man to take it on is held up over the line.

Desperate stuff.

40-19

Gloucester given a warning

The Cherry and Whites desperately defend as Bath look to maul over from a 5m lineout.

Gloucester manage to stop the drive but do so illegally from an offside position.

Referee Sam Grove-White gives captain Chris Harris an official warning.

40-19

Crossinng

Just before the try, Gloucester brought on the ace on their bench in Tomos Williams, but he now has an up-hill task ahead of him.

To make matters worse the visitors are pinged for crossing as Jacob Morris is released down the left wing.

40-19

TRY - Bath Rugby - 40-19

Alfie Barbeary goea beast mode.

The number eight gets the ball in midfield following a lineout and he bursts through three Gloucester tackles, shrugging off Lewis Ludlow and Will Butler and then bouncing off Ruan Ackermann.

Wow.

Finn Russell adds the easy extras from right in front.

40-19

Out on the full

Ben Spencer has done it again as he puts a box kick out on the full.

Gloucester have a lineout about 25m out, but Ted Hill gets up at the front of the lineout to steal the ball and taked all the pressure off his side.

33-19

PENALTY GOAL MISSED - Bath - 33-19

Finn Russell takes on a long range penalty kick from in front of the posts but the Bath fly-half pulls it.

33-19

Mass changes for Gloucester

George Skivington burns his matches early with six new men on, all forwards.

On come Seb Blake, Val Rapava Ruskin, Afolabi Fasogbon, Freddie Thomas, Lewis Ludlow and Jack Clement.

33-19

Gloucester under growing pressure

Cam Redpath wins a jackal penalty to turn the ball over and allow Finn Russell to kick to the edge of the Gloucester 22.

Attacking from the line out, Jack Singleton is draw offside to allow Russell to kick to the corner.

From a 5m lineout, Tom Dunn tries a tick play to a no jumping man at the front pod but it bounces off the back of Archie Griffin and Gloucester hold out.

33-19

SECOND HALF KICKS OFF

Finn Russell gets the game back underway for Bath.

He cleverly puts the kick into the sun and Will Butler loses it.

The Gloucester pack make amends through and win a penalty at the scrum against the head.

33-19

Trylights - Tom de Glanville touches down early

Great start for @BathRugby

Tom de Glanville takes less than four minutes to open the scoring at the Rec #ChallengeCupRugby pic.twitter.com/sbRV6VbbkW

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) April 13, 2025

Trylights - Santi Carreras takes the expert cross-field kick

"Anything that Finn Russell can do..."

Gareth Anscombe with a pinpoint kick to Santiago Carreras who scores for @gloucesterrugby #ChallengeCupRugby pic.twitter.com/x0DT6id8yg

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) April 13, 2025

Trylights - Ben Spencer finishes a flashing counter from Bath

Top quality @BathRugby try

Will Muir with a great take in the air and Ben Spencer scores to extend his side's lead #ChallengeCupRugby pic.twitter.com/RjWdDZhZor

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) April 13, 2025

Match action

HALF TIME - Bath Rugby 33-19 Gloucester Rugby

Another mad first half at the Rec with eight tries shared between the sides.

Bath have the lead after scores from Tom de Glanville, Tom Dunn, Archie Griffin, Ben Spencer and Alfie Barbeary.

Gloucester have wasted so many good positions and chances but have three scores through Santiago Carreras, Jack Singleton and Jacob Morris.

The hosts have a 14 point lead but this one isn't done yet with the Cherry and Whites' attacking abilities.

33-19

TRY - Gloucester -33-19

Finn Russell sparks a counter attack from Bath from halfway as he bounces off Gareth Anscombe with a show of power.

The ball then goes loose but is judged to have gone backwards.

Alfie Barbeary they hacks it on and wins the race to touch the ball down before it rolls dead.

Russell then sweeps home the right touchline conversion.

33-19