Bath to visit Tigers

Bath ensured they topped Pool Five of the Heineken Cup after playing out a 3-3 draw with Toulouse at the Rec.

With both sides having already qualified for the quarter-final stages of the competition, the result means that the West Country club will visit Leicester in the last eight.

Meanwhile, Toulouse, who became the first club to reach a Cup century of appearances on Sunday, will be away to Cardiff Blues.

The match was played in foul conditions, with heavy rain before kick-off and during the first half producing plenty of standing water.

As such, a classic contest was never really on the cards but, to the credit of both sides, neither did they produce the sorts of errors which often settle such matches.

Nevertheless, given the final scoreline, the visitors might be left to rue both a marked territorial advantage as well as a string of missed penalties from Jean-Baptiste Elissalde during the first half.

Butch James kicked the home side ahead after two minutes - a darting run from Nick Abendanon having brought about a penalty.

The full-back's failure to deal with a high kick then gave Toulouse the chance to level eight minutes later; however, Elissalde was unable to convert the resulting penalty.

Collision

Michael Lipman departed the field after a nasty collision in the 17th minute - the flanker being knocked out cold before eventually departing on foot to be replaced by James Scaysbrook.

Slowly but surely the visitors started to gain territory and, following a period spent camped about two metres out - their scrum looking impressive - Toulouse were awarded a penalty in the 24th minute.

Rather than go for the line, they instead elected to go for the three points, with Elissalde finding the target to level.

The fly-half proved unable to kick Toulouse ahead moments later when presented with a difficult chance from the wrong side of 40 metres.

And it was the same outcome when, following more good work from Toulouse's scrum, Elissalde was presented with an easier-looking chance on the half-hour.

The heavy rain having eased, Toulouse continued to apply pressure and another penalty was gained when Bath collapsed the scrum five minutes before the break.

Presented with a more difficult chance on the right-hand flank, Elissalde completed an unwelcome hat-trick of missed penalties.

Bath gained rare advantage shortly before half time after Cedric Heymans' uncertainty dealing with a high ball resulted in a charge down and a five-metre scrum.

But Toulouse's superiority in this area brought them the turnover soon enough.

With groundstaff having worked overtime with their squeegees during the interval, James showed that it was not only Elissalde having difficulty with the conditions - a penalty attempt from 48 metres sailing wide and short.

Turning the tables

However, Bath started to turn the tables in terms of territorial advantage and steady work saw them move to within two metres of their opponents' line.

A total of nine phases of play followed, but with crowd excitement building to a crescendo, Toulouse instead relieved the pressure after James was penalised for coming in from the side.

Bath were at least by now playing like the home side - although Elissalde did momentarily look like converting a low-flighted long-range penalty in the 57th minute.

With Elissalde having been replaced by Gaffie Du Toit, the match entered its final 10 minutes still locked at stalemate.

Battling to gain vital yards that would present them with the chance of at least a drop goal, Bath pressed towards the right-hand corner as the match entered the final minute.

In the event though, the contest ended in deadlock after Toulouse gained a penalty.