Last year, Bath Rugby saw their side return from the depths of Premiership rugby despair to become one of the form English teams. As the calendar trickled over to 2024, the prospects have continued on an upward trajectory.
Recently welcoming French giants Racing 92 to the Recreation Ground, Bath ground out a simply phenomenal Champions Cup victory over Finn Russell's former team, with the current Bath flyhalf helping to orchestrate a backline filled with attacking flair.
Under the chilled winter sun, Bath held their Parisian visitors at bay during the final few moments, as a team boosted by their own well-deserved momentum gave the long-suffering home fans a big final cheer.
Whilst all the attention of the match was understandably on Finn Russell, it was his halfback partner Ben Spencer who truly shone as the match progressed. Taking kicking responsibilities from his flyhalf, Spencer controlled the game completely, earning himself a Player of the Match award in the process.
Full of praise for his scrum half teammate, Russell addressed the media following the match, saying: “Having Ben Spencer inside me releases the pressure, as he takes so much control of the exits which has been brilliant for me. I can just focus on other things which makes it a lot easier.
“His kicking game is probably the best in the world I would say. Today he was the goal kicker, so again more pressure off me."
When questioned about his own impact on the Bath squad since arriving, Russell added: “For me, I'm just trying to link with the boys and again next time around the park with Cam [Redpath], Ollie [Lawrence], Joe [Cokanasiga], Will Muir, Matt [Gallagher], the boys who are playing here. We’re getting excitement around the attack and giving them confidence, which is something I'm trying to do.
“I'm just saying to them; if I give you the ball just go, back yourself and have a go. It sounds like a small thing, but with the talent that we’ve got in the team, just giving the boys belief goes a long way.”
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