Alfie Barbeary was named player of the match for the second consecutive fixture.
Investec Champions Cup
Bath (28) 63
Tries: Du Toit, Penalty try, Obano, Dunn, Cokanasiga 2, Spencer, Arundell, Ojomoh
Cons: Russell 8
Edinburgh (10) 10
Try: O’Conor Con: Thompson
Bath secured the top spot in Pool 2 and a home tie in the Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 with a dominant nine-try victory over Edinburgh.
As pool winners, Johann van Graan’s squad will also host a quarter-final match, should they advance past the Round of 16.
Bath’s entire starting front row – Thomas du Toit, Beno Obano, and Tom Dunn – each scored in the first half, contributing to a penalty try awarded due to their scrum dominance.
During a commanding second half, Joe Cokanasiga crossed the whitewash twice, while Ben Spencer, Henry Arundell, and Max Ojomoh each added a try.
Centre Piers O’Conor scored the sole try for the visitors, whose six changes from the starting XV that defeated Gloucester last week proved costly.
Edinburgh, currently second in the pool, now depend on favorable outcomes in other matches to qualify for the Round of 16.
Victories for Munster against Castres (Saturday, 17:30 GMT) and Toulon versus Gloucester (Saturday, 20:00 GMT) would secure the Scottish side’s place in the knockout stage.
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‘Home knockout game is massive’ – reaction after Bath hammer Edinburgh
The English side, aware that a five-point win would guarantee them first place, opted against an early penalty kick, a decision vindicated by Du Toit’s subsequent try.
A miscue by O’Conor put Edinburgh under significant pressure, leading to a five-meter scrum and the resulting penalty try.
Number eight Alfie Barbeary – who earned player of the match honors against Castres last Friday – narrowly missed being credited with the try after maintaining tight control at the base of the scrum.
Sheer power, spearheaded by Barbeary, proved too much for the URC team, as demonstrated by prop Obano and hooker Dunn crossing the line from close range.
In between those scores, Harry Paterson broke free before intricate interplay led to a superb try, though flanker Freddy Douglas’s turnover to thwart a dangerous Bath attack was equally impressive.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend was present at the Recreation Ground and will have been encouraged to see two of his young internationals performing well against tough opposition.
However, that was as good as it got for the visiting side. Cokanasiga surged up the wing, evading multiple defenders to score.
Ojomoh’s handling skills were again crucial in creating space for Cokanasiga, who then turned provider for Spencer.
Clinical finishing from Bath’s dynamic backs further rewarded the bruising first-half effort from their forwards.
Ojomoh and Cokanasiga were standouts among Van Graan’s backs in another dominant Champions Cup performance.
With squad depth, power, and an exciting backline, Bath are legitimate contenders, and home advantage in the knockout stages will only strengthen their case.
Player of the match Barbeary, speaking to Premier Sports: “We had a hunger for this game and wanted a home game in the knockout stage so that was the big thing for us.
“We came out flying and the result showed. We can’t wait [for the next round], we’ll see who we get and where the pool ends up and go from there.”
Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Lawrence, Arundell; Russell, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Molony, Pepper, Underhill, Barbeary.
Replacements: Frost, Van Wyk, Griffin, Hill, Reid, Carr-Smith, Carreras, Redpath
Edinburgh: Paterson; Graham, O’Conor, Lang, Satala; Thompson, Vellacott (capt); Whitcombe, Ashman, Blyth-Lafferty, Hunter-Hill, Young, Dodd, Douglas, Muncaster.
Replacements: Morris, Jones, Hill, McVie, Boyle, Shiel, Healy, Brown.
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
Assistant referees: Franco Rosella (Ita) and Luca Bisetto (Ita)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
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