NTU take first defeat of the season away to Bath

As the BUCS Super Rugby season progresses, NTU Rugby Union looked to make it back-to-back wins to start the new season. The team, travelled down to Somerset for the first away fixture of the season against Bath, hoping to pick up another win.

NTU battling on the 22 line to stop Loughborough getting a try

NTU v Loughborough

Credit: BUCS Super Rugby

Despite fighting hard throughout the game, the team fell just short of victory at the Infield, Sports Training Village, to lose against Bath. The final score standing at Bath 41-36 NTU.

Bath came in to the match against NTU having lost both of their first games. Before kick-off, Bath sat in eighth position having lost 29-23 to Northumbria and 30-24 to Durham in round one and two of BUCS Super Rugby action.

Finishing seventh in the league last season, Bath came out on top in the last meeting between the two sides beating NTU by a score of 50-25. NTU set out eager to turn the tables after last season’s heavy defeat.

It was a bad start when Bath went over early to make it 5-0. NTU’s Matt Riddington slotted over from a penalty quickly after Bath went ahead to bring the game close with a score of 5-3. Some solid phase play from Bath got them over for their second try of the game to make it 10-3.

NTU went over again and another good kick from Riddington put the scores level at 10-10, before grabbing a try and conversion to give NTU the lead 10-17.

With around 15 minutes left in the half Bath landed another try, with the conversion missed it put the score at 15-17.

The game entered halftime with scores at Bath 20-17 NTU with determined play from the men in pink, it was still anybody’s game to win as the sides went in at the break.

After the restart, Bath quickly added another try and conversion to make it 27-17. It got worse for NTU when Bath added another try and conversion to leave the score at 34-17.

Repeated scrum penalties on the NTU try line led to a Penalty try for Bath, which left the score at 41-29. Refusing to let the game go, NTU reduced the deficit to five with extras added to put the score at 41-36. Despite a final push from the men in pink, the game finished with Bath taking the win.

When the full time whistle blew scores stood at Bath 41-36 NTU. Despite the loss, it was a big performance from the team, and, NTU came away from the game having picked up two valuable bonus points.

The team will now return to training to prepare for the next game when we take on Cardiff Met at Lady Bay.

Next game: Nottingham Trent v Cardiff Met

Date: 17/10/2018

Kick off time: 15:30

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