Bath loss rounds off tough day for Prem clubs in Champions Cup

Montpellier secured a convincing win at Bath, capping a disappointing Saturday for English sides in the Champions Cup. After Gloucester’s high‑scoring draw with defending champions Bordeaux on Friday, Bath joined Sale, Bristol and Saracens in losing their opening pool matches. Leicester, Exeter and Northampton will take the field on Sunday.

Bath had opened the season with at least 33 points in each of their first three Premiership games, but they could not replicate that firepower in their Pool Four clash at The Recreation Ground. The hosts saw a try ruled out in both halves, and Joe Cokanasiga failed to secure a clean catch near the try line when Bath led 14‑10 early in the second half. Montpellier responded with a second‑half brace from Donovan Taofifenua and a try by Alex Becognee, the former Challenge Cup winners scoring 22 unanswered points after the break.

The match began with a Max Ojomoh try disallowed for a knock‑on after a run by former Scotland full‑back Stuart Hogg, who had opened the scoring for Montpellier. Bath soon found the net when England centre Ollie Lawrence powered over in the corner, followed by a sidestepping effort from number eight Arthur Green that gave the home side a lead. Montpellier stayed within touching distance thanks to a penalty from Adam Hastings before halftime.

Cokanasiga’s missed chance proved costly when Taofifenua dived over in the corner to put the French side ahead 15‑14. Hastings added three more points from the tee, and after a solid defensive spell, Taofifenua intercepted a Finn Russell pass at midfield, sprinted past the chasing Bath defenders and scored his second try. A try by Josh Bayliss for Bath was ruled out after an earlier infringement, and Becognee’s close‑range effort in the final minutes sealed the victory for Montpellier.

Bath’s remaining pool games are against Cardiff, South African outfit the Bulls and Stade Français. The Bulls had already faced Stade Français on Saturday, posting an eight‑try, 56‑20 triumph, with Cheswill Jooste completing a hat‑trick after opening the scoring inside 20 seconds.

Line‑ups

Bath: Carreras; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, C Griffin; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Jeanes, Ewels, Hill, Pepper, Green. Replacements: Frost, Kirk, A Griffin, Richards, Bayliss, Van der Linde, Redpath, Tuipulotu.

Montpellier: Hogg; Delibes, Anyanwu, Piccardo, Taofifenua; Hastings, Price; Wardi, Akrab, Hounkpatin, Van Heerden, Chalureau, Camara, Becognee, Nouchi (c). Replacements: Riccitelli, Tabarot, Welsch, Beard, Duguid, Vunipola, Bezy, Echegaray.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy) with assistants Filippo Russo and Alberto Favaro (Italy) and TMO Matteo Liperini (Italy).