If any further proof of Bath's resolve to surpass their status as losing finalists this season was required, it was abundantly clear in their performance. A close-range try from substitute prop Francois van Wyk secured a dramatic win over Harlequins, propelling Bath to second in the standings and reaffirming their title credentials. Harlequins had dominated from the outset and seemed to have a secure lead at 10 points up in the second half. Marcus Smith was in fine form, and Bath found themselves struggling. However, tries from Thomas du Toit and Van Wyk, both replacement props, secured a hard-fought victory in south-west London.
The home team was disheartened at the final whistle, having put in so much effort to build on their recent win over Saracens. They will regret not delivering the decisive blow when Bath was on the ropes, a testament to the visitors' resilience rather than a criticism of Danny Wilson's side. For Bath, Ollie Lawrence was outstanding at center, while Guy Pepper excelled in the back-row despite his yellow card. Smith, relishing his duel with Finn Russell, arguably his closest rival for the No 10 British & Irish Lions jersey, started the match strongly and rarely faltered. He set up two early tries, the first a beautifully weighted pass for Alex Dombrandt, and the second a cross-field kick for Rodrigo Isgró.
Bath struggled early on, losing Alfie Barbeary to a head injury and facing Harlequins' improved defense. They were not helped by a malfunctioning lineout, but when Tom Dunn finally connected inside the Quins 22, Bath quickly scored with Pepper grounding the ball. Pepper has shone since joining Bath, and his performance at blindside flanker here will not have gone unnoticed by the watching England team manager Richard Hill. Despite his second-half yellow card, Pepper's future looks bright.
Bath faced further challenges when Dunn was sent to the sin-bin, and they were under constant pressure with Smith repeatedly targeting Isgró. Nevertheless, Bath leveled at 14-14 despite their numerical disadvantage, with De Glanville scoring after a flat pass from Russell. Isgró's second try gave Harlequins a half-time lead they deserved. The second half started scrappily, with Harlequins nearly extending their lead after a run from Chandler Cunningham-South. However, Bath's defense held firm, and Harlequins settled for a Smith penalty. Perhaps Bath should play with 14 more often, as just minutes after Pepper's yellow card, Du Toit scored, bringing Bath close. A fine tackle from Lawrence stopped Isgró's hat-trick attempt, and Bath were awarded a penalty. They opted for the corner, and Van Wyk's powerful effort secured the win.
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