Bath lose Champions Cup opener as Montpellier score 22 unanswered points

Bath lost 32-14 to Montpellier at the Recreation Ground on Saturday, 17 October, after conceding 22 unanswered second-half points in their opening Champions Cup pool fixture. Donovan Taofifenua scored twice as the French side overturned Bath’s 14-10 half-time lead and took an away win in Pool Four.

How Montpellier overturned Bath’s lead

Stuart Hogg scored the first try for Montpellier, but Bath responded through Ollie Lawrence and Arthur Green. Green sidestepped a defender to put the hosts ahead, and Adam Hastings’ penalty kept Montpellier within four points at the interval. Bath had earlier seen a Max Ojomoh try ruled out for a knock-on.

Bath had another try ruled out when an earlier infringement cancelled Josh Bayliss’ score. Alex Becognee went over from close range in the closing minutes, completing Montpellier’s 32-14 victory. Somerset Live’s live match updates also recorded the final score and the sequence of Montpellier’s second-half tries.

What the result means for Bath’s pool campaign

The defeat was a sharp change from Bath’s start to the Premiership season: they had scored at least 33 points in each of their first three league matches, according to BBC Sport. Against Montpellier, they scored only through Lawrence and Green, with Russell converting both tries. Hastings kicked two penalties and three conversions for the visitors.

Bath’s remaining pool fixtures are against Cardiff, Bulls and Stade Français. Montpellier entered this Champions Cup campaign as last season’s Challenge Cup winners and beaten Top 14 finalists. The result added to a difficult opening weekend for English clubs after Gloucester drew with Bordeaux and Sale, Bristol and Saracens lost their first pool matches.