Henry Arundell scored a decisive try in the 76th minute to secure Bath's thrilling 36-29 comeback victory over Saracens at Stonex Stadium. The 23-year-old wing's second try of the match broke a 29-29 deadlock and propelled Bath two points clear at the top of the Gallagher Premiership.
Bath overcame a daunting 14-0 deficit to claim only their second win in 12 visits to Saracens. Arundell's first try came after 18 minutes when he intercepted an Ivan van Zyl pass near Bath's 22 and raced 80 metres to score. His match-winner arrived late when Max Ojomoh collected a low pass from Finn Russell and found Arundell in space to finish the counter-attack.
Coach praises performance
Bath head coach Johann van Graan delivered high praise for Arundell's display after the match. He rated the performance «A nine out of 10» and compared Arundell's speed to South Africa legend Bryan Habana, whom van Graan coached at the Bulls in the mid-2000s.
«Bryan became one of the best in the world,» van Graan said. «Henry has a long way to go. But that's as good as I have seen him play.»
Van Graan highlighted Arundell's commitment to improving, noting his «skills extras» work and physical conditioning. He described Arundell as «by far» Bath's quickest player and a «good human who has fitted into our group». The coach added: «He is hungry to play for his club and he is hungry to play for his country.»
England selection implications
Arundell's performance arrives at a crucial time for England selection. First-choice wings Tom Roebuck and Tommy Freeman are both injured ahead of the Six Nations. England coach Steve Borthwick deployed Arundell as a substitute against Fiji in the autumn series, where he scored a try, but did not select him for the Argentina match.
The wing has faced criticism over defensive vulnerabilities throughout his career. Saracens tested him repeatedly with high cross-kicks from Owen Farrell, targeting aerial duels against 6ft 4in Noah Caluori. Arundell, standing 6ft, competed effectively despite the height disadvantage.
Match details
Saracens dominated the opening stages with Max Malins and Juan Martin Gonzalez each scoring two tries. Farrell added a long-range drop goal. Bath fought back through tries from Tom Dunn, Will Butt and Arthur Green, with Finn Russell contributing a penalty.
Arundell has now scored six tries in six Premiership matches this season, one behind league leader Manny Feyi-Waboso. The victory strengthens Bath's position at the top of the table as they pursue their first Premiership title.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
