Wasps 9-25 Bath: Bath move up to fifth with Wasps win
Last Updated: 01/10/17 5:56pm
Wasps fell to a third successive Aviva Premiership defeat while losing their England number eight Nathan Hughes to injury as Bath left the Ricoh Arena with a 25-9 win.
Hughes limped out of an ugly spectacle in Coventry marred by constant drizzle after finally succumbing to the dead leg he had suffered earlier in the match, his afternoon ended in the 38th minute.
The injury is unlikely to threaten his involvement in the autumn series against Argentina, Australia and Samoa, but with Billy Vunipola out until January because of knee surgery, England cannot afford to lose any more number eights.
Another attritional Premiership contest also accounted for Wales lock Luke Charteris, who failed a head injury assessment inside the opening 10 minutes, and Wasps' Paul Doran Jones who had to be carried from the pitch on a stretcher.
Bath had their defence to thank for ending their own run of two consecutive losses, Sam Underhill impressing again through his work-rate on his return from concussion, while Rhys Priestland and Freddie Burns did most of the scoreboard damage from the kicking tee.
Semesa Rokoduguni placed the result beyond doubt in the 76th minute when a turnover was worked to Jonathan Joseph, who chipped ahead for his England team-mate to touch down.
It was a concerning performance by Wasps, who having been unbeaten in 20 Premiership games have now fallen to Harlequins, Exeter and Bath - the first and third of those results endured at the previously impregnable Ricoh Arena.
A high-octane start was lit up by breaks from Jimmy Gopperth and Anthony Watson, who then dropped a pass as Bath looked to exploit an overlap.
Hughes felled Taulupe Faletau with a dangerous forearm to the face that bore little resemblance to a hand-off, but after extensive examination of the replays, referee Matthew Carley awarded only a penalty against the back row.
Hughes needed treatment following an aerial collision with Watson and as the first quarter passed the rivals were locked at 6-6 following an exchange of penalties from Gopperth and Priestland.
The excitement that marked the game's opening had faded, a victim of the rain that began falling, and even with two short-range attacking line-outs Wasps were unable to crack the visiting defence.
Gopperth and Priestland swapped penalties once more but it was Bath who finished the half stronger as they spent a sustained spell attacking the whitewash.
The action failed to improve after the interval when the rain fell with greater intensity and although Wasps had more possession, their attack was disjointed and they were unable to generate any meaningful momentum.
Bath had crept 15-9 ahead courtesy of a Priestland drop goal and penalty from his replacement Freddie Burns.
England's former fly-half landed a tricky penalty with six minutes to go to ensure victory, but there was still time for Rokoduguni to strike.
