Ben Spencer inspires Bath's fast start to get revenge over champions Saints

Yesterday at 05:17 PM

• Bath 38-16 Northampton; Spencer one of five tryscorers
• Statement opening win for last season's runners-up

Bath would have preferred to win last season's Premiership final but maybe this is finally destined to be their season. This bonus-point victory over the reigning champions Northampton offered an early glimpse of their capabilities and first-half tries from Joe Cokanasiga, Ted Hill and Ben Spencer gave them a decent platform to lay down an early marker to their rivals.

If it helped that Bath kept 15 players on the field this time, unlike at Twickenham last June, they showed more than enough composure with and without the ball to suggest they will be tough nuts to crack this time around. A near faultless kicking display from Finn Russell, who supplied 13 points, was another bonus and even an improved second half from Northampton proved insufficient.