Bath bemoan ill discipline in narrow loss to Leicester Tigers

Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan refused to get downbeat after a last-minute 25-24 defeat to Leicester.

They remain top of the Gallagher Premiership table after Jamie Shillcock’s eighth penalty of the afternoon edged the Tigers to a first victory over the season.

Shillcock also converted Charlie Clare’s try for a personal haul of 20 points, while Will Muir and Tom Dunn went over for Bath with Finn Russell kicking 14 points.

England post-match presser – third-place play-off

England post-match presser – third-place play-off

Van Graan said: “The season won’t end until July. This isn’t the time for doom and gloom. We’ll just keep working. We win together. We lose together.

“Look they were terrible conditions. We led with one minute to go, unfortunately we dropped the kick-off and then there was a decision at the scrum and they kicked the goal. It was difficult for both sides, so congrats to Leicester.

“We did some things really well and some things not so well. I thought we were positive though. If we win that game it doesn’t mean everything is good. If we lose, it doesn’t mean everything is bad. We’re disappointed but we move forward.

“The scrum try for Will Muir is something we’ve worked on. An excellent catch in the wet to finish it, excellent work by the forwards. I thought in the second half we adapted a lot better.”

Bath number eight Alfie Barbeary admitted Bath were punished for their ill discipline.

He said: “It’s a tough one to take. It was just one of those games where our discipline let us down. We’re all very disappointed.

“I think we did well to stay in it. We knew what Tigers would bring but we didn’t do what we said we would do. If you give away penalties they’re going to take the points.”