Champions Cup: Bath beat Saracens to set up quarter-final clash with Northampton Saints
Bath came back from a disappointing first half to progress through to the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 31-22 win over Saracens; Glasgow and Toulouse also took respective wins to move into the quarter-finals
Last Updated: 04/04/26 8:46pm
Bath turned to a quartet of their England backs to turn the tide as they edged into the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 31-22 victory over Saracens.
Trailing 10-0 at the interval at the Recreation Ground, the hosts burst into life with tries from Henry Arundell, Joe Cokanasiga, Ben Spencer and Ollie Lawrence as they set up a last-eight appointment at home against Northampton.
Spencer's 59th-minute finish of an audacious attack that began on their own try-line looked to be pivotal but the determined Saracens refused to throw in the towel and were only truly beaten when Arundell ran in his second try in the 80th minute.
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Bath's scrum needed rescuing after a humbling first half with the introduction of prop Thomas du Toit making the difference with the South African tighthead also being named man of the match.
Unlike their visit to the Recreation Ground a fortnight ago when they were overwhelmed 62-15, it was clear Saracens meant business from the start as they halted an early Bath onslaught including holding up a forward drive over the line.
Having proved their mettle in defence, they surged ahead in the 14th minute when Charlie Bracken deceived Cokanasiga with a dummy from the base of a maul and raced over.
Bath's scrum was beginning to buckle and they were also suffering at the breakdown, but the visitors were their own worst enemies at times with Fergus Burke failing to find touch with a penalty.
Rhys Carre rampaged into space and Noah Caluori almost crossed in the left corner before Guy Pepper was shown a yellow card for cynically heading the ball away on the floor.
So many elements of Saracens' game were firing but the points they deserved proved elusive with an Owen Farrell penalty their only other score in a half they had controlled.
To punish their wastefulness, Arundell sprinted across after being released by Charlie Ewels early in the second half and then Cokanasiga scooped up a loose ball to weave over after Lawrence had carried into space.
The tries sandwiched a dramatic reversal in the scrum with Beno Obano sin-binned for a cumulation of penalties before Du Toit forced a penalty, providing Cokanasiga with the platform to score.
Bath led for the first time and then produced the highlight of the afternoon by stopping Saracens from scoring by dislodging the ball from Andy Onyeama-Christie as he ran at the line before strking with a move that began from their own whitewash.
Cokanasiga escaped the 22, found Alfie Barbeary who waited for Spencer and the England scrum-half had gas to finish from long range.
Maro Itoje and then Ivan van Zyl burst through the breakdown and Saracens were far from done as a period of pressure ended with Max Malins touching down in the left corner.
But Harry Wilson was the next to see yellow for a dangerous tackle on Miles Reid and soon after Lawrence crashed over from close range before Caluori replied for Saracens, but Bath ultimately had the final say at the death through Arundell.
Glasgow battle into last eight of Champions Cup
Glasgow won a gruelling clash against Bulls with wet and windy conditions making life difficult for both teams, but it was the hosts who prevailed 25-21 after a nip-and-tuck contest.
Handre Pollard's penalty gave Bulls the first points but Glasgow grabbed the opening try in the 18th minute, Max Williamson barging his way over and Dan Lancaster converting.
Bulls retook the lead when Johan Grobbelaar ended a spell of pressure by going over in the corner, and a penalty from Pollard extended their advantage.
Back came Glasgow with a try through Jack Dempsey, but Bulls went in at half-time narrowly ahead thanks to another penalty from Pollard.
It was advantage Warriors after a try from Patrick Schickerling in the 57th minute and they looked to have wrapped things up when Stafford McDowall finished off a fine move, only for a converted try from Marco van Staden with three minutes left to reduce the deficit to a single point.
But a yellow card for Elrigh Louw allowed Adam Hastings to slot over a final penalty and clinch victory for Glasgow.
Bears swept aside by rampant Toulouse
Toulouse romped to a 59-26 victory over Bristol to reach the quarter-finals after the six-time champions ran in nine tries as the Bears were blown away in France despite a late fightback.
Bristol scored the first try in only the fifth minute through Fritz Harding but that kick-started a blitz from Toulouse, who crossed through Jack Willis, Peato Mauvaka twice and Kalvin Gourgues inside 20 minutes.
Matthis Lebel scored his first try in the 35th minute and teed up Gourgues to make it 40-7 at half-time before crossing again inside a minute of the restart.
Kalaveti Ravouvou took Bristol into double figures with their second try as Romain Ntamack was sent to the sin bin, but that did not stop Teddy Thomas scoring a quickfire brace to extend Toulouse's lead further.
Bristol could take some comfort from a rousing finish as James Williams sprinted away for an interception try before Noah Heward added a fourth late on.
