The Blues fielded a whole host of youngsters and fringe names at The Rec as they went in search of a second win in the competition following victory at the Ospreys and defeat to Worcester and they were ultimately undone up front by a powerful Bath pack.
Full back Dan Fish scored a fine try in the dying stages but the game was already out of reach after Bath had crossed twice in each half to claim maximum points and seal their own semi-final spot.
Gavin Henson registered his first senior try in Bath colours shortly after coming on as a 45th-minute replacement and the Bath eight did the rest of the damage, with driving mauls creating the platform for back rows Alafoti Fa’osiliva and Guy Mercer and scrum-half Micky Young to touch down as Bath made it three wins from three. The Blues created plenty of half chances but couldn’t quite capitalise as errors crept in at the wrong times deep in opposition territory.
Pontypridd fly-half Simon Humberstone kicked the Blues in front from a scrum penalty with just three minutes gone but the lead and the forward dominance didn’t last long as Bath struck back almost immediately. The Bath forwards made amends for their slow start in spectacular style as Ryan Caldwell’s catch set up the first of the deadly driving mauls and Fa’osiliva rumbled over with minimal resistance.
Driving wind and rain played havoc with Tom Heathcote’s conversion attempt from wide on the right and the scoreline would remain 5-3 until the 28th minute when Young darted through from close-range after another huge lineout drive had put the Blues on the back foot.
Heathcote’s simple conversion saw the Blues fall two scores behind at 12-3 but they had already shown their attacking intent, with Owen Williams and Chris Czekaj in particular looking dangerous with ball in hand. Williams had marked his first appearance since Wales’ final Dove Men Series Test with Australia by producing a superb step that left Matt Banahan for dead just past the halfway mark of the first period but Humberstone couldn’t capitalise as he pulled the resulting 35-metre penalty across the face of the posts five minutes before Young scored Bath’s second try.
The conditions got even trickier when the heavens opened shortly after Young’s try but the Blues continued to offer a threat and would have been celebrating a try of their own had Williams not taken the wrong option by going alone when presented with an overlap on the left-hand side.
The Blues did narrow the gap with a second penalty from Humberstone five minutes before half-time but Bath started the second period brightly as Henson crossed from close-range following a sharp pass from former Scarlets scrum-half Martin Roberts.
Heathcote’s simple conversion attempt left the Blues with a 19-6 deficit as Bath began to dominate territory and possession. The Blues produced a dogged defensive display in the late second and third quarter, though, and they could have found a way back into the contest had Owen Jenkins’ outside break and Ellis Jenkins’ fine support play been met with a patient finish rather than another handling error.
Bath finally claimed the bonus-point try through Guy Mercer from another driving maul with five minutes left, something that would have no doubt hurt the Blues given that the hosts were down to 14 men at that point following Ollie Devoto’s yellow card.
The Blues did at least have the last word as Fish picked a clever line from Dafydd Hewitt’s flat pass a minute later but it wasn’t enough to see them bounce back from their Heineken Cup disappointments ahead of next week’s home tie with Harlequins.
