Ford hails ‘fantastic’ Bath display

Head coach Mike Ford praised a “fantastic” effort from his Bath side who are embroiled in a three-horse race for top spot in Champions Cup Pool Four and automatic quarter-final qualification thanks to a majestic performance at Stade Ernest Wallon.

Toulouse, the four-time European champions, went down 35-18 but remain a point ahead of Bath and two clear of Glasgow Warriors.

Bath — European champions back in 1998 — will have home advantage against the Warriors and go into the contest at The Rec on the back of one of their finest displays in European battle in which Francois Louw scored their fourth try to complete a bonus-point win.

Louw dived over eight minutes from time to complete an impressive win after Matt Banahan, Chris Cook and Jonathan Joseph all crossed in dazzling first-half display.

Northampton edged closer to the quarter-finals — and a potential home draw — after grounding the Ospreys. First-half tries by flanker Calum Clark and Wales wing George North — his fifth touchdown in two appearances against the Ospreys this season — underpinned a 20-9 Pool Five success.

Fly-half Stephen Myler converted both scores and kicked two penalties to set up next Saturday’s group decider against Ronan O’Gara and Racing Metro at Franklin’s Gardens. Victory over the Parisians will not only guarantee that English champions Saints go marching on, it would also ensure home advantage in the last eight.

Racing moved top of Pool 5 as they earned their first bonus point of this season’s European Rugby Champions Cup with a 53-7 hammering of Treviso at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir. The Italians remain without a point and were soundly beaten, with Racing captain Dimitri Szarzewski scoring a hat-trick of tries.

Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder has revealed Saints and England lock Courtney Lawes will undergo an ankle operation today.

Mallinder said Lawes is set to miss “the first few weeks” of the Six Nations, which means he is likely to be out for games against Wales and Italy on February 6 and 14.