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Ben Spencer heaped praise on Bath head coach Johan van Graan after they won their first English title in 29 years.
Toit (26'), Ojomoh (49')
Tries
Poortvliet (5'), Kata (67'), Ilione (75')
Russell (27', 50')
Conversions
Pollard (5', 68', 76')
Russell (9', 41', 70')
Penalties
Ben Spencer heaped praise on Bath head coach Johan van Graan after they won their first English title in 29 years.
Bath beat Leicester Tigers 23-21 in the Gallagher Premiership Final at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
They finished the regular season in first place and also won the EPCR Challenge Cup and Premiership Cup.
Van Graan has been with the west country outfit since 2022 and in his three years at the helm, the South Africa has taken them from bottom place to champions.
BUNCH OF FIVES
It is the fifth time that Spencer, the Bath captain, has won the Premiership after four with Saracens.
"When Johann came in, he completely turned this place around,” Spencer said. “We've got a really good group around him in terms of coaches, in terms of staff and we've gone from there and I think we've gone from strength to strength.
“What we've done this year - some may call it a treble, some may not - to win three trophies like we have is unbelievable.
"What an effort. We had to dig deep, fair play to Leicester but I think we deserved it after the year we've had.”
Bath came close last season but fell to Northampton Saints in the final.
LEADING THE PACK
They led the Premiership for most of the season, but faced historic rivals Leicester, the team they pipped to the 1996 title by a point.
Tigers definitely had plenty of emotion to fuel them.
It was Michael Cheika’s last Leicester match as head coach, club legends Dan Cole and Ben Youngs were retiring after the match, while world stars Handre Pollard and Julian Montoya were heading for pastures new.
However, Bath held their nerve and found a way to overcome their smothering defence.
Bath flyhalf Finn Russell would have made British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell smile. He set up Max Ojomoh for Bath’s second try and was flawless with the boot to help claim his first major title since the 2015 Pro 14 title with Glasgow.
“After last year's defeat, we bounced back really quickly, and we managed to get the job done,” Russell said.
"It's not sunk in yet. Winning the (EPCR) Challenge Cup was brilliant but at the start of the year the goal was to win the Premiership. (It's) 10 years since I won it (a major title) at Glasgow in my second season there and now I've won it here (in my) second season.”
