Each player has given their body to the team : how UBBs defense disgusted Bath.

The five-minute passage at the beginning of the second half speaks volumes: the English team eventually scored when Louie Hennessey managed to stretch his arm to place the ball over the line. But before that, they kept attacking without breaking through the defense set up by the locals. “This action made us doubt. We ended up deciding to move the ball because we couldn’t break through, they defended really well,” sighed Charlie Ewels, the second-row player from Bath.

During the first half, UBB managed to bend without breaking too much, facing an opponent that often kept them in their own half. At halftime, many players had already surpassed ten tackles. Marko Gazzotti, possibly in contention for the man of the match trophy, was substituted as early as the 52nd minute, matched by the 16 tackles he had made, turnovers, and endless contests. He and his teammates finished with only seven conceded penalties and three stolen lineouts.

“The defense is a fundamental sector,” said manager Yannick Bru. “Montpellier had scored two tries on their two possessions within our five meters. You saw the commitment of our team in front of the line, the repeated attacks from Bath… There was a level of bravery and commitment that the guys managed to achieve. I am very proud of that. It’s true that we defended very well. Every player gave their all for the team.”

UBB made 100 more tackles than Bath, with over 90% success rate compared to only 76% for the English champions. The backs also contributed, with players like Arthur Retière and Maxime Lucu each making a turnover, Louis Bielle-Biarrey with valuable returns, and Matthieu Jalibert toppling eleven opponents in as many attempts, confirming his immense progress in this area.