Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership: Bath 61-29 Saracens

Bath 61-29 Saracens, Recreation Ground

Tom Dunn scored a hat-trick while Beno Obano chipped with a double as Bath finished the ongoing campaign with a 61-29 victory over Saracens at Recreation Ground on Saturday.

Saracens were already assured of a home play-off against Northampton Saints as they made 14 changes to the line up but Bath ensured they secured a 8th place finish in the table beating Bristol Bears which also assures them a spot in next season's Heineken Champions Cup.

Miles Reid started the proceedings for Bath as he dived from close range in the 2nd minute and Ben Spencer kicked the extras but the visitors responded almost immediately with a well timed pass from Elliot Daly allowed Rotimi Segun to touchdown.

With Saracens losing Eroni Mawi to sin-bin in the 11th minute, Bath kicked a penalty to the corner and set up a strong maul at the end of which Dunn went over but back to back tries from Olly Hartley in the 17th and 25th minutes kept Saracens in front with a 14-19 margin by the end of the first 30 minutes of the game.

As the break was approaching Obano and Ethan Lewis traded tries as the teams completed a highly competitive first half with a 21-24 margin.

Bath showed better intent in the third quarter during which they scored three tries with Obano being the beneficiary of huge carries to score his second of the day while Dunn also completed his second with a dive following a rumbling maul in the 50th minute. Three minutes later, Dunn completed his hat-trick and suddenly the home side looked in control with a 42-24 lead.

Vunipola with a 57th minute touchdown gave Saracens a glimmer of hope but it did not matter in the end as Chris Cloete, Orlando Bailey and Ollie Lawrence scored further tries to drive Bath to the Champions Cup qualification for the next season.

Team line up:

Bath: Gallagher; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, McConnochie; Bailey, Spencer; Obano, Dunn, Stuart, McNally, Van Velze, Hill, Cloete, Reid.

Reserves: Annett, Schoeman, Rae, Attwood, Bayliss, Green, Francis, Joseph.

Saracens: Daly; Segun, Hallett, Hartley, Harris; Vunipola, de Haas; Mawi, Lewis, Judge, Wardell, Hunter-Hill, Michelow, Knight, Stonham.

Reserves: Adejimi, Hislop, Beaton, Pearce-Paul, Eke, Bracken, Morris, Elliott.