But Bath coach Brian Ashton refused to get carried away with his side’s victory at Stade Pierre Rajon, even though the visiting fans went home happy in the knowledge that a repeat of their 1998 European triumph is still in their grasp. Scrum-half Nick Walshe, back-row forward Michael Lipman and teenage centre Tom Cheeseman bagged the tries, with Gareth Delve making a big impact as a second-half replacement.
“It’s very pleasing to have already qualified for the quarter-finals, but there is still work to be done,” Ashton said. “We want to go back to the Rec and win the game against Leinster to secure a home draw. Then, if you get to the quarter-finals, anything can happen. I’m delighted for the team — the key is in believing in what we can do. We have the players and the talent to do well and we showed that in the second half.”
“We knew we had to come out and match fire with fire, and we managed to do it,” added Bath prop and England hopeful Duncan Bell. “I didn’t realise they were unbeaten here, so that’s a good result for us. We weathered the early storm and came through in the end.”
In Pool One, Munster ran out 46-9 winners at Castres on Friday. Captain Anthony Foley hailed their travelling support in the aftermath of his side’s seven-try defeat of Castres at the Stade Pierre Antoine.
The south of France had a mini-invasion as upwards of 3,000 Munster supporters came to witness one of their side’s most memorable victories in 10 years of Heineken Cup rugby, as Declan Kidney’s side cruised against an albeit understrength Castres outfit, who had nothing to play for with their qualification hopes already up in smoke.
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Tries from Marcus Horan and Shaun Payne helped Munster establish a 13-9 interval lead after a first half played against a gusty wind.
Kidney’s men bossed the second half as everything seemed to click in attack — fit-again lock Paul O’Connell, making his first Heineken Cup appearance of the season, scored two tries, as did young replacement Tomas O’Leary. Right-wing John Kelly was also on the mark.
Munster now face a must-win clash with long-time pool leaders Sale at Thomond Park next Saturday.