Finn Russell inspires Bath comeback to keep treble dream alive but Scotland star sparks injury scare for final

Stand-off Russell and his teammates overcame a seven-point deficit at the break eventually prevail 34-20 victory over near-neighbours Bristol and set up a clash at Twickenham next weekend against either Leicester Tigers or Sale Sharks.

Russell bagged 14 points and was key to their second-half turnaround, ably assisted by fellow Scotland internationalists Cam Redpath and Josh Bayliss. It keeps Bath’s hopes of a treble alive with the Premiership Cup and Challenge Cup already in the bag as Johan van Graan’s team look to atone for losing last season’s final to Northampton.

They will hope that Russell’s injury is nothing more than a dead leg after he was replaced in the closing stages. The 32-year-old has become a talisman for club as well as country and did his Lions starting credentials no harm at all with this performance. He was all smiles at the end but no doubt Bath will assess his condition.

Bristol were 13-6 in front at the break and it could have been more. The try of the match was scored by their lock James Dun after Fiji wing Kalaveti Ravouvou set off from his own line, leaving four Bath defenders in his wake.

Guy Pepper started in the Bath back row in the absence of the suspended Sam Underhill, while Redpath replaced Will Butt at centre. England prop Ellis Genge was recalled to the Bristol pack along with Dun and centurion Steven Luatua.

A fast and furious first half opened with a penalty to Bristol which was quickly reversed for some ill-advised verbals. When Bath then laid siege to the visitors’ line, Genge was the man who held up the ball to earn a relieving drop-out.

Tough start for Bath

Both sides were probing for any advantage they could find and the first points went to Bristol as AJ MacGinty punished Pepper’s infringement at a ruck with a straightforward penalty after 12 minutes. When hooker Gabriel Oghre broke clear, Bath had to defend desperately before Ben Spencer eased the anxiety with a long kick upfield.

But Ravouvou, collecting the ball near his own line, somehow evaded a quartet of would-be tacklers and the home defence was soon spreadeagled at the other end. Lock Dun eventually cut a simple line to the posts and MacGinty added the conversion for a 10-0 lead.

Ravouvou was soon sent to the sin bin for preventing a quick-tapped penalty by Spencer, allowing Russell to pull back three points for Bath but MacGinty immediately replied to make it 13-6 at the break.

Losing scrum-half Harry Randall to a shoulder injury just before half-time had not helped Bristol’s cause and a Ted Hill try converted by Russell straight after the break brought Bath level. Joe Cokanasiga swooped on a teasing kick ahead by Tom de Glanville to score Bath’s third try shortly after to put them ahead for the first time.

When Will Muir finished off a prolonged period of pressure by touching down in the left corner and Max Ojomoh added a fifth on the hour, Bath were back in command. With Russell faultless from the tee, the score was suddenly 34-13.

Bristol were not about to lie down but very little luck was going their way and they were twice held up over the Bath line. With six minutes left, Benhard Janse van Rensburg finally stretched out to score in the corner and McGinty converted to seal the win.