Taofifenua double lifts Montpellier to Champions Cup win at Bath

Montpellier beat Bath 32-14 at The Rec on Saturday after overturning a four-point half-time deficit in their opening Champions Cup Pool Four match. Donovan Taofifenua scored twice as the visitors collected 22 unanswered points after the interval, according to BBC Sport's match report by Phil Cartwright. Bath were unable to add to their two converted first-half tries.

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The result completed a winless Saturday for the English clubs involved in the competition, with Sale, Bristol and Saracens also beaten in their opening pool games. Gloucester had drawn with defending champions Bordeaux on Friday. For Bath, the defeat followed three opening Prem fixtures in which they had scored at least 33 points each time, a level of attacking output they could not reproduce against Montpellier.

Bath's first setback came when a Max Ojomoh try was disallowed for a knock-on. Stuart Hogg then scored the opening try for Montpellier, but the hosts responded through Ollie Lawrence and Arthur Green. Lawrence crossed in the corner before Green stepped past a defender to put Bath ahead. Finn Russell converted both tries, while an Adam Hastings penalty helped Montpellier stay within reach at 14-10 at the break.

The lead survived into the second half, when Joe Cokanasiga failed to gather a pass with a chance to score. Montpellier soon took advantage, with Taofifenua crossing in the corner to put them 15-14 in front. Hastings followed with another penalty. Bath therefore went from threatening to extend their advantage to chasing the game, without having added a point since the interval.

Montpellier then defended strongly before Taofifenua intercepted a Russell pass around halfway and ran clear for his second try. Bath had another score chalked off when an earlier infringement ruled out Josh Bayliss' effort. Alex Becognee subsequently crossed from close range in the closing minutes, completing the visitors' four-try tally. Hastings finished with three conversions and two penalties for last season's Challenge Cup winners.

Bath still have pool matches against Cardiff, Bulls and Stade Francais. Elsewhere in the same pool on Saturday, Bulls defeated Stade Francais 56-20, scoring eight tries in a bonus-point victory. Cheswill Jooste scored three of them, including the opener inside 20 seconds.