Meehan blasts Bath after defeat

BATH boss Steve Meehan claimed his team needed to “grow up” after their Heineken Cup campaign began in frustrating fashion against Biarritz at the Recreation Ground.

Biarritz marksman Dimitri Yachvili punished Bath’s indiscipline by kicking four penalties – the last one 10 minutes from time after home prop David Wilson was sin-binned – to clinch a 12-11 Pool Four verdict.

It means Bath, beaten despite building an early 8-0 lead through Michael Claassens’ smart try and an Olly Barkley penalty, are already battling to avoid a repeat of last season’s pool stage exit.

“It’s actually quite difficult to put into words,” said head coach Meehan. “We played a very good first half but a few technical penalties went against us in the second half.

“And then with four minutes to go, we had an opportunity to win, but we didn’t take it. It was a better performance than last week (against Gloucester), yet to come up short like that is very frustrating.”

Meehan added: “Biarritz were happy to live off our penalties to begin with in the second half. They ticked over three points at a time.

“We’ve got to grow up and take the points. It’s straightforward, it is about being ruthless, getting the job done. Simple.

BATH: Abendanon, Carraro, Hape, Barkley, Banahan, Vesty, Claassens, Catt, Dixon, Wilson, Hooper, Grewcock, Beattie, Watson, Taylor.

Replacements: Flatman for Catt (53), Batty for Dixon (75), C. Fernandez Lobbe for Grewcock (63).

BIARRITZ: Haylett-Petty, Ngwenya, Gimenez, Bond, Balshaw, Peyrelongue, Yachvili, Coetzee, Terrain, Johnstone, Carizza, E. Lund, M. Lund, Harinordoquy, Lakafia.

Replacements: Mignardi for Bond (67), Traille for Peyrelongue (61), August for Terrain (51), Marconnet for Johnstone (51), Taele-Pvihi for Carizza (67), Guyot for Lakafia (73).

Referee: J Jones (WRFU).