Summary

  • Replacement Ted Hill powers over late on as Bath fight back to beat Northampton in an 11-try epic to reach the semi-finals of the Champions Cup for first time since 2006

  • Kepu Tuipulotu, another replacement, cut Northampton's lead to five as Bath dominated the second half

  • Saints led by 21 points during a sensational first half but two late Bath tries reduced their lead to 35-26 at half-time

  • Replacement Alfie Barbeary named player of the match as Prem champions' bench made a massive impact

  • Bath, European champions in 1998, will play Toulouse or Bordeaux in last four in May

Send us your views

  1. 'Pinch me!'published at 20:51 BST 10 April

    HT: Bath 26-35 Northampton

    James Burridge
    BBC Sport rugby commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Pinch me! We've just watched one of the most ridiculous first halves in European top-flight rugby. It could come down to who is the fitter side. It has been so high octane.

  2. Half-timepublished at 20:50 BST 10 April

    Bath 26-35 Northampton

    Saints kick the ball into touch and that's half-time.

    Time for everyone to take a well-earned breather after an absolutely enthralling opening 40 minutes.

    A better half of rugby you would struggle to find.

  3. Postpublished at 20:49 BST 10 April

    Bath 26-35 Northampton

    Alex Cuthbert
    Champions Cup winner with Exeter on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    That lack of discipline from Northampton has given Bath chances in the 22 and they have been clinical.

  4. try

    Try: Bath 26-35 Northamptonpublished at 39 mins

    Francois van Wyk

    The big man is over!

    Bath go through the phases near the Saints line and a short ball back inside finds the rampaging run of prop Francois van Wyk to bully his way over.

    A first missed conversion of the match as Finn Russell misses the target but Bath have got themselves right back in this on the stroke of half-time.

  5. Postpublished at 37 mins

    Bath 21-35 Northampton

    Finn Russell has his heart in his mouth as his pass is intercepted by Tommy Freeman who runs from his own half to go over the line.

    But fortunately for Russell the referee had already blown for a Bath penalty so back we come.

    Big puff of the cheeks all round for the home supporters!

  6. Pollock taken out by Barbearypublished at 35 mins

    Bath 21-35 Northampton

    The first time we seem to have had a stoppage in play and it's come as the referee checks a potentially dangerous clearout by Bath sub Alfie Barbeary on opposite number Henry Pollock.

    Andrew Brace has a look with the TMO and decides it's a penalty but not a yellow card.

  7. converted try

    Converted try: Bath 21-35 Northamptonpublished at 32 mins

    Henry Arundell (con: Finn Russell)

    Back come Bath again!

    Brilliant from Finn Russell, his dummy pass draws Rory Hutchinson in and then he flicks the ball off to Henry Arundell who sprints away to the line for Bath's third try.

    Both of these teams are finding so much space to play in and it's making it an incredible watch.

    Defence coaches watching through their fingernails though.

    Henry ArundellImage source, Getty Images
  8. 'This is mad!'published at 20:36 BST 10 April

    Bath 14-35 Northampton

    James Burridge
    BBC Sport rugby commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This is mad! Ollie Sleightholme on his 100th appearance for Saints. He got married this week...

  9. converted try

    Converted try: Bath 14-35 Northamptonpublished at 29 mins

    Ollie Sleightholme (con: Fin Smith)

    Madness at the Rec - a seventh try of the opening half-hour!

    Bath will not be happy with how they defended this one at all.

    It's first phase ball from the breakdown and Ollie Sleightholme crashes through the tackle of Cam Redpath too easily and powers over the line.

    Simple but effective for Saints that one after their earlier magic.

    They can score all sorts of tries.

  10. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:32 BST 10 April

    Chris: Bath are letting teams run over them in the first half and knowing they can fight back in the second half… but Northampton are no Saracens, give this team ANYTHING and they will take EVERYTHING! We need to wise up!

  11. 'A massive moment'published at 20:31 BST 10 April

    Bath 14-28 Northampton

    Alex Cuthbert
    Champions Cup winner with Exeter on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    A bit fortunate but that is a massive moment just to get Bath back in the game and change the momentum.

  12. converted try

    Converted try: Bath 14-28 Northamptonpublished at 25 mins

    Finn Russell (con: Russell)

    Ok we're even on the lucky bounces now!

    Bath's Finn Russell with a brilliant piece of off the cuff individualism - the line-out doesn't go to plan at all but the loose ball is kicked on by the Scottish fly-half and he dribbles his way over to score.

    He then slots over the conversion to reduce the gap to 14.

    Finn Russell scoresImage source, Getty Images
  13. 'Bonkers!'published at 20:28 BST 10 April

    Bath 7-28 Northampton

    Alex Cuthbert
    Champions Cup winner with Exeter on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    What a pass under pressure! What a start and score for Northampton. We are 22 minutes into the game! This is bonkers.

    The crowd is just silent. The Bath players have to get together and put a stop to this.

  14. converted try

    Converted try: Bath 7-28 Northamptonpublished at 22 mins

    Josh Kemeny (con: Fin Smith)

    Saints are playing beautifully but even the luck of the bouncing ball is on their side tonight!

    Finn Russell kicks forward for Bath but Fin Smith fields and boots it clear - there's half a charge down and the resulting bounce is awful for poor Ollie Lawrence as Rory Hutchinson snaffles it and races away into clear green grass.

    The yellow Saints shirts swarm forward like bees towards the Bath line and Josh Kemeny is given the honour of scoring his side's fourth try!

    We are watching an incredible half of rugby here.

  15. 'A massive shift'published at 20:24 BST 10 April

    Bath 7-21 Northampton

    Alex Cuthbert
    Champions Cup winner with Exeter on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Henry Arundell is struggling under the high ball for Bath. It's been a bit of a mess for him. Northampton are putting in a massive shift, they are so quick in defence.

  16. Postpublished at 20 mins

    Bath 7-21 Northampton

    Halfway through the first period and here come Bath.

    George Furbank fielded a high kick well but was lined up by Henry Arundell and the England wing makes a big hit on his international team-mate!

  17. 'Undefendable!'published at 20:19 BST 10 April

    Bath 7-21 Northampton

    Alex Cuthbert
    Champions Cup winner with Exeter on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I would not think this is a quarter-final, Northampton are running everything back from their own 22! It's a real back-and-forth start.

    It's undefendable! What a try, again. This is unbelievable, Fin Smith is pulling the strings.

  18. converted try

    Converted try: Bath 7-21 Northamptonpublished at 15 mins

    Tom Lockett (con: Fin Smith)

    Saints are absolutely purring!

    The attacking play from Northampton has been out of the top drawer and there is another fine example.

    Some quick hands from the breakdown and a beautifully deft offload from Fraser Dingwall finds Fin Smith who spins a pass wide to second row Tom Lockett on the wing and he races in, beating the covering tackle of Beno Obano.

    A quite brilliant score.

  19. Postpublished at 13 mins

    Bath 7-14 Northampton

    This is breathless stuff.

    Both teams going full throttle from the first whistle - just what we want to see.

    Miles Reid is back on for Bath now after that very early yellow card so we're once again 15 v 15.

  20. converted try

    Converted try: Bath 7-14 Northamptonpublished at 9 mins

    Tom Dunn (con: Finn Russell)

    And respond they do!

    Bath are on the scoresheet - and they needed to be.

    Quick-tap penalties are doing the business for both sides and this time it's Bath hooker Tom Dunn who crashes over from five metres out.

    Finn Russell adds the extras and Bath are back within a score of levelling after their nightmare start.

    Tom Dunn scoresImage source, Getty Images