Summary

  • Houston, Joseph, Banahan & Rokoduguni cross for Bath

  • Burgess, starting at flanker, scores the bonus-point try

  • Court & Cowan touch down for London Irish

  • Victory moves Bath up to second in the Premiership table

  1. Postpublished at 21:03 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    London Irish have barely been in this half, and have to stay patient when they have the ball. However, Bath's defence is so strong, and on the 16th phase of the Exiles' play Francois Louw causes a mistake and wins his side a penalty.

  2. Try (Joseph, con Ford)published at 20:58 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    We barely had any chance to take a breath after Bath took the lead, and they've crossed again. Francois Louw does well to offload to Jonathan Joseph under pressure and, in the face of a London Irish defender he chips through. Despite 'shinning it', his pace gets him onto the end of the ball and over the line.

    George Ford, who is racking up the points tonight, gets another two with another immaculate conversion.

  3. Try (Houston, con Ford)published at 20:55 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Leroy HoustonImage source, Getty Images

    Finally the scrummaging ends, and Bath are back in front. The Bath scrum wheels well and gives Leroy Houston the chance to cross over, an opportunity he takes with aplomb. George Ford then gets the conversion nailed on.

    That will bring Mike Ford a huge sigh of relief.

  4. Postpublished at 20:54 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    When two groups of massive men collide like in a scrum, sometimes you get problems.

    The referee is not happy with these scrums, with numerous restarts after that knock-on.

  5. Postpublished at 20:51 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Bath already putting pressure on the London Irish lead, as Francois Louw almost broke through to the line, but yet more London Irish bodies stopped him. A loose pass at the breakdown from Peter Stringer is then stopped by an Irish hand, but adjudged to have been knocked on.

    Meanwhile Jebb Sinclair is back on following his sinbin.

  6. Kick-offpublished at 20:49 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    George Ford, who has assumed the Bath captaincy as Dave Attwood has come on to replace Stuart Hooper at half-time, kicks off to start the second half.

  7. Half-timepublished at 20:43 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    They'll have been cheering that Tom Court try in the Saracens camp tonight. Second-placed Sarries will drop behind Bath if the Blue, Black and Whites earn a point tonight ahead of the London club's trip to face Northampton on Saturday.

  8. Get involved via #bbcrugbypublished at 20:41 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Anthony WatsonImage source, Getty Images

    Anthony Watson sure does have some serious wheels, Ian.

    So can London Irish, seemingly with nothing to play for, really pull off a shock here at The Rec? And are Bath stumbling in their quest to seal a play-off spot?

    Let us know what you think by using #bbcrugby on Twitter.

  9. Get involved via #bbcrugbypublished at 20:37 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Ian:, external Is Anthony Watson the fastest man in English rugby? I think he must be by some distance.

  10. Postpublished at 20:37 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Half-time score
  11. Half-timepublished at 20:36 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

  12. Try (Court, con Noakes)published at 20:32 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Tom CourtImage source, Getty Images

    That was not really part of the script. London Irish take the lead.

    A great break from number eight Tom Guest gives London Irish metres, but the moves looks to have broken down the the ball is played out wide behind Topsy Ojo.

    The Exiles, though, recycle the ball and get their forwards involved and it eventually falls to prop Tom Court to power over with the help of Ojo. Noakes hits the easy conversion and the ref blows for half time.

    Remember Irish are a man down with Jebb Sinclair currently in the bin.

  13. Postpublished at 20:30 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Excellent dummy running from Sam Burgess leaves Matt Banahan space to break through, but a long pass to Semesa Rokoduguni does not have enough on it, and the move breaks down.

  14. Postpublished at 20:27 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Anthony WatsonImage source, Getty Images

    Anthony Watson, my oh my. London Irish's Chris Noakes intercepts a loose pass and sprints clear of everyone, but Watson comes out of nowhere to catch him just past halfway and eventually wins the penalty when Noakes didn't release.

    That is very impressive from the England man.

  15. Postpublished at 20:25 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    And there it is. Luke Pearce has his yellow out, and it's Jebb Sinclair who's the unlucky recipient.

    London Irish have the most yellow cards in the Premiership this season with 19, almost one a game, and it's certainly clear why from this showing.

  16. Postpublished at 20:23 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Bath are really going for this. George Ford is scuppering any penalty chances to kick for the corner.

    Those penalties are coming at a real cost for Irish, who have just been warned by Luke Pearce that any more infringements will result in cards.

  17. Postpublished at 20:22 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    A break in play now as Blair Cowan comes off worse with an aeriel duel with Semesa Rokoduguni, landing heavily on his shoulder.

    The big guy has the physio on, but is up pretty quickly. I don't know why I've called him big guy, they're all big.

  18. Penalty (Noakes)published at 20:19 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    That kick from Noakes just has enough legs on it to creep over the posts and bring his side back to within a converted try of their hosts.

    This is quite a war of attrition.

  19. Postpublished at 20:18 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    Hello! A little bit of handbags here as London Irish's Luke Narraway gets to grips with George Ford trying to get the ball back after Rob Webber went in off his feet.

    Webber's infringement leaves Chris Noakes with a straight kick from 44 metres.

  20. Penalty (Ford)published at 20:16 British Summer Time 24 April 2015

    London Irish just cannot deal with the Bath pack. Luke Pearce is again blowing his whistle against a man in green off a scrum, and George Ford is once more the beneficiary from the tee.