Injuries compound Bath woe

Bath tonight began picking through the pieces of a botched Italian job which has effectively left their Heineken Cup hopes in tatters.

And as coach John Connolly targeted bonus-point victories from the remaining three pool fixtures, Bath’s medical staff were assessing worrying injuries to England internationals Mike Tindall and Matt Perry.

England vice-captain Tindall, a key member of Andy Robinson’s new-look team, could require surgery to rectify a shoulder problem. Full-back Perry, meanwhile, faces four weeks out recovering from hamstring trouble.

England launch their RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign against Wales in Cardiff on February 5, and centre Tindall’s condition will give Robinson cause for concern.

The 41-times-capped Yorkshireman has matured as a player and leader either side of England’s World Cup triumph, and is now a senior red rose figure under Robinson’s direction.

Connolly though, has far more pressing problems – coping with the fall-out from Bath’s 29-23 defeat against Italian champions Treviso at Stadio Communale di Monigo.

It was the first time Bath have lost to Italian opposition in six Heineken Cup campaigns, and the result leaves them eight points behind group leaders Leinster.

“We need maximum points from our last three pool matches to stand any chance of making the knockout stages,” said Connolly.

“We knew that Treviso were a good side, but we just didn’t turn up in the first half. They punished every mistake we made, and there were plenty of those.”

Marius Goosen was the Treviso hero, contributing 22 points, and although tries from prop David Barnes and scrum-half Nick Walshe helped Bath secure a bonus point, it proved arguably their most demoralising Heineken Cup experience.

While Bath struggled, Leinster posted their record European victory with a landslide 92-17 triumph against hapless French outfit Bourgoin at Lansdowne Road.

Fly-half David Holwell amassed 29 points and Argentina international Felipe Contepomi scored three of Leinster’s 13 tries to keep them in Pool Two pole position.

It was the third biggest victory in Heineken Cup history, behind Toulouse’s 108-16 rout of Ebbw Vale six years ago and Stade Francais’ 92-7 success against Italian side L’Aquila in 2000/01.

Northampton maintained their rich vein of European form – despite losing nine successive Zurich Premiership games – by moving to the Pool Three summit with a sparkling 23-21 victory over twice European champions Toulouse at Franklin’s Gardens.

It was a major scalp for Saints’ new coaching team of Budge Pountney and Paul Grayson, while new skipper Steve Thompson could not have hoped for a better start.

“You could see from the first 10 minutes that we meant business,” said England hooker Thompson. “And when we did go behind, the boys never thought about chucking the towel in.”

Scrum-half Mark Robinson’s first-half try proved the difference, but five Grayson penalties and a Shane Drahm drop-goal kept Northampton in the hunt during periods when Toulouse dominated.

“We showed an awful lot of spirit, and it gives us a good base to build on,” said Pountney. “We now play Toulouse away next Saturday, and I think by beating them, we might have stirred a hornets’ nest.”

Cardiff Blues boss David Young accused Gloucester of under-estimating his team after the Welsh side went down to a 23-19 Pool Six defeat at Kingsholm.

Although Cardiff now have no realistic quarter-final chance, they could still hamper Gloucester’s progress in the Arms Park return next weekend.

“Perhaps us losing to Borders in the Celtic League gave them (Gloucester) the indication we were pushovers, but they got a huge challenge. I thought they under-estimated us,” said Young.

Gloucester outscored their opponents 3-1 on tries – Terry Fanolua (2) and James Bailey touched down – but they are five points behind pool leaders Stade Francais, who defeated Ulster 30-10 in Paris thanks to touchdowns from Mathieu Blin, Shaun Sowerby and Mirco Bergamasco.

“We struggled to change our game-plan,” said Gloucester coach Dean Ryan. “We didn’t play particularly well, but we got four points, and that was the important thing.”

With Cardiff, Llanelli Scarlets and Neath-Swansea Ospreys all facing probable group stage elimination, Newport Gwent Dragons have emerged as Welsh rugby’s flag-bearers in Europe this season.

The Dragons, inspired by virtuoso displays from scrum-half Gareth Cooper and centre Nathan Brew, saw off French Championship leaders Perpignan 27-14 at Rodney Parade, and claimed a bonus point in the process.

“Every home game in Europe is a must-win situation, and we have now put ourselves back on track ahead of a tough encounter in Perpignan next week,” said Welsh international Cooper.

In Pool One, meanwhile, Biarritz reminded English heavyweights Wasps and Leicester of their presence with a 41-10 win against Calvisano which featured two tries from wing Philippe Bidabe.