Bath’s second-half revival carries them past Bristol and into Premiership final

• Bath 34-20 Bristol

• Nerveless Russell converts four second-half tries

Bath’s oval-ball custodians have spent years trying – and failing – to construct a team to match the striking nature of their home city. Now, finally, they are within 80 minutes of claiming their first domestic league title since 1995-96 after a storming second-half revival put paid to a gallant Bristol side who had led by seven points at half-time.

If the outcome was still theoretically up in the air at the interval there was not a shred of doubt by the hour mark, Bath launching a blistering fusillade that yielded four converted tries without reply and underlined their status as short-priced favourites to lift the Premiership trophy at Twickenham next Saturday. “This team is tough to beat,” confirmed their head coach, Johann van Graan. “Bristol asked some questions but effort-wise I couldn’t be prouder. That is what it takes to get to Twickenham.”

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