A late try from Ollie Lawrence secured Champions Cup rugby for Bath next season as they beat Saracens 61-29, meaning Bristol Bears miss out.
Lawrence’s last ditch score came after Miles Reid, Tom Dunn (3), Beno Obano (2), Chris Cloete and Orlando Bailey had crossed the try-line at the Rec.
Rotimi Segun, Olly Hartley (2), Ethan Lewis and Manu Vunipola claimed tries for Saracens as they came unstuck after sending out a second string side.
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The Rec broke into wild celebration as news came through from Ashton Gate that Bristol’s winning margin against Gloucester had not been enough.
Bath had led within three minutes of kick-off after Reid won a line-out and popped up again to finish off a series of pulverising drives by his team-mates, with Ben Spencer adding the conversion.
Saracens’ youngsters opted for a wider game and soon fashioned an overlap on the right for the speedy Segun to touch down an unconverted try.
The home side’s strong mauling game claimed a useful scalp when Saracens loosehead Eroni Mawi was sin-binned for offside and it proved even more costly when Dunn immediately finished off a catch-and-drive from the line-out for his 10th try of the season.
Spencer’s conversion took his side into a 14-5 lead after 12 minutes, but the visitors were giving as good as they got in the early stages.
While Bath’s approach was narrow and predictable, Saracens made intelligent use of meagre possession and centre Hartley was put clear with a deft pass from fly-half Vunipola, who added the conversion.
England tighthead Will Stuart was close to claiming another try for Bath’s pack but the quick-thinking Hartley scored again at the other end for Saracens, leaving Vunipola with a simple conversion to make it 19-14 to the league leaders.
The lead see-sawed as Obano forced his way over from close range, Spencer converting again, only for hooker Lewis to finish off a catch-and-drive which gave Saracens a try bonus point and a 24-21 half-time lead.
It was a far more purposeful Bath side that emerged from the break, suddenly favouring quick line-out ball as Saracens’ discipline began to fray and Ted Hill’s surge to the line presented Obano with a try under the posts.
There were still reminders of Bath’s power in the maul as Dunn found the try-line twice in four minutes to complete his hat-trick and all-but end Saracens challenge.
Although Vunipola weaved 60 metres to score a remarkable virtuoso try for the visitors, Cloete featured twice in a line-out move to restore Bath’s 20-point lead, thanks to Spencer’s conversion.
Bailey then rounded off a length-of-the-field move and converted his own try, Bath’s eighth, as they passed the 50-mark before Lawrence raced away to touch down in injury time to complete the scoring.
Champions Cup heartache for Bristol Bears
As mentioned, Bristol missed out on a Champions Cup spot for next season despite a hard-fought 36-21 win over local rivals Gloucester as they were pipped on points’ difference.
The bonus-point victory was not enough for Bears to stay in eighth place in the final Premiership table as Bath’s winning margin over Saracens proved crucial.
Semi Radradra scored two tries on his farewell appearance for Bristol while Siva Naulago, Magnus Bradbury and Harry Thacker were also on the try-scoring sheet, with AJ MacGinty adding four conversions and a penalty.
Ollie Thorley and Jonny May scored Gloucester’s tries and there was also a penalty try award, with Adam Hastings and Billy Twelvetrees each adding a conversion.
Chris Ashton sees red as Tigers fall to Quins
Chris Ashton’s decorated career ended with a red card as Leicester were defeated 20-17 by Harlequins on the final day of the regular season.
The former England winger, who is retiring at the end of the campaign, was dismissed towards the end of the first half for a dangerous high tackle on opposite number Cadan Murley.
Despite the loss, Leicester’s semi-final at Sale next week was confirmed, while Quins wideman Murley will end as the top-flight’s leading scorer with 15 tries.
Julian Montoya and Tommy Reffell crossed for Leicester, with Handre Pollard and Jimmy Gopperth kicking points off the tee in the loss.
Juan Martin Gonzalez helps Irish beat Exeter
Two tries from Juan Martin Gonzalez ensured London Irish finished a difficult week on a high as they saw off Exeter Chiefs 17-14 at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The build-up to the game had been far from ideal for Irish, whose players were paid late as the club’s proposed takeover continues to drag on.
In a game that swung one way then the other, Tom Hendrickson looked like he had earned Chiefs the victory, only for Gonzalez to turn it around for the Exiles to secure a fifth-placed finish, their best return in 14 years since they reached the Premiership final.
Chiefs had said farewell to a core of players who had helped them to two Premiership titles and a European crown over the past six years last weekend and Rob Baxter used this game to look to the future, with Champions Cup rugby assured for both sides.
Sale Sharks cruise past Newcastle Falcons
Elsewhere, Sam James scored twice as Sale Sharks warmed up for the Premiership play-offs by dispatching Newcastle Falcons 54-12 at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Tom Roebuck, Ben Curry, Bevan Rodd, Raffi Quirke and Arron Reed also crossed for Sale, with a penalty try and George Ford’s boot adding the remaining points.
Elliott Obatoyinbo and Jamie Blamire scored Newcastle’s only tries as their season ended in dismal fashion.
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