Prem talking points: Bath's missing drop-goal, Feyi-Waboso's shower & Pollock's revenge

By

BBC Sport rugby union news reporter

It's important to remember that Finn Russell doesn't like dropping goals either.

Bath's first-choice fly-half famously prefers keeping ball in hand, having landed only one in open play in his entire playing career.

That one though came at the exact place that Santi Carreras, standing in for the injured Russell, turned down a string of opportunities at the death in the 27-26 defeat by Exeter on Sunday.

Back in March 2024, in the shadow of the south stand, Russell doubled back to flop over an ugly-looking dropper on the way to victory over Sale. Typically, he did it with his weaker left foot., external

Carreras was at even closer range. A monster four-and-half-minute 40-phase passage of play had taken the hosts to within inches of the line. Carreras could have stepped back deep into the pocket and still had a straightforward, central pot at goal.

Instead, Bath backed their forward power to overwhelm Exeter's cussed goalline stand. Vilikesa 'Billy' Sela did eventually get over - but crucially not down. Held up over the whitewash by a combination of Olly Woodburn and Zack Wimbush, it marked the end of a remarkable match, the culmination of an almighty comeback and the start of some wild celebrations.

In addition to the unused drop-goal option, there were acres of space out wide with Henry Arundell a couple of successful passes away from a walk-in.

Bath had plenty of evidence for their pick-and-go tactics though. Back in January, in a strikingly similar scenario they wore down Exeter on the last play of the game, with Arthur Green going over under the posts after 38 phases to secure a 33-26 victory.

But would Russell, watching from the stands with his glitchy calf, have backed himself more readily on a dry day to drop a rare goal? And would his team-mates have been quicker to listen to him?

Carreras, who had made a shaky start to the game, also wasted five-on-three overlap in the final minute inside the Exeter 22m, his long mis-pass allowing the visiting defence to drift and stay intact.

Afterwards, coach Johann van Graan spoke of "missed opportunities" in the second half being decisive. It was their frontline fly-half they missed the most.

Another star in the Rec stands was Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

The Exeter flier was ruled out of the match with a broken jaw and subsequent surgery, but was roaring on his team-mates in the sun.

Come the final whistle, one Bath fan took exception to Feyi-Waboso and friends' loud support and threw a drink over the England wing.

Television cameras caught another fan giving Chiefs fly-half Harvey Skinner a single-finger salute on the final whistle.

It isn't the first time there has been issues at the Rec.

Two years ago, after another Prem semi-final, Sale second row Jonny Hill was involved in an altercation with a home fan who Hill claimed had been mocking and abusing him throughout the match.

Feyi-Waboso's only public comment since the incident has been to post a video, external of himself cheering on his team with the caption, 'Scenessss'.

Exeter coach Rob Baxter has said that, in line with the new(ish) agreement between clubs and England over elite players, England will have the final say over whether Feyi-Waboso can play at Twickenham on Saturday.

The visiting support certainly let the home fans know who had the final say on Saturday.

The last time Henry Pollock faced Leicester, it was a difficult afternoon for the Northampton tyro.

Coming off the bench at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, he got into a couple of scraps, deputised poorly on the line-out oche after hooker Craig Wright's yellow card, and was jeered to the end of a 41-17 defeat.

The image of a smiling Hanro Liebenberg facing Pollock down as the Northampton man attempted to instigate another confrontation, spread fast and far.

That day, a fired-up, beefed-up Leicester pack got the better of him. On Friday night, back at Franklin's Gardens Pollock got revenge.

There were still theatrics. Pollock celebrated a try - later disallowed - by recreating basketball legend Steph Curry's 'night, night' gesture. After his side won possession deep in their own 22m late on, he demanded decibels were added to the rolling chants of Shoe Army around the stadium.

But there was also sky-high work-rate and constant influence.

Pollock carried 23 times - no-one else on the pitch managed more than 13 - and racked up 122 metres with ball in hand. Team-mate George Furbank was the closet to him in that metric on 70.

He beat eight defenders, double anyone else's tally.

His tackling was consistent and solid, he was a pest at the breakdown.

In the opening minutes, he made a break to build momentum towards Tom Litchfield's opening score.

In the 77th, he was chasing into the backfield to field a kick through from Adam Radwan.

Between those two points he was everywhere. He got whacked at times - one George Martin hit was particularly thunderous - but was never down for long.

Will coach Steve Borthwick, in attendance, be tempted to let Pollock off the leash from the start for England over the summer, having seen how his speed and energy trumped the Tigers' muscle?

Tom Hooper's gnarly work around the park has gained plenty of plaudits, but the Exeter and Australia flanker has got the sublime skills in the open as well.

Last week, he stepped Saracens hooker Theo Dan, external out of his boots with a lovely shimmy.

This weekend, 64 minutes into the match at the Rec, he took the ball down the line, looked one way and casually popped a no-look inside ball the other to Ross Vintcent, setting a 15m line break in motion.

The battle of the back row will be mouth-watering on Saturday.

Among the stellar performers in two superb semi-finals were the officials. Referees Luke Pearce and Christophe Ridley played a full part in two contests that whistled by without the whistle becoming a constant theme.

Pearce's delegation and trust in his fellow officials was impressive.

Taking charge of Saints v Tigers, he asked TMO Stuart Terheege to run background checks on Liebenberg's grounding of a try and the possibility of interference in the build-up to Litchfield's opener, and trusted the answer when it arrived.

His constant emphasis on pace in the game makes for more flow and more space.

And, he has some withering put-downs.

When Northampton hooker Curtis Langdon emerged shouting from a scrum, only to claim his words were aimed at team-mates rather than the referee, Pearce inquired which of them is, like him, called Luke.