Bath versus Exeter Chiefs was on a knife-edge and ended in dramatic circumstances
Sam Warburton and Brian O’Driscoll were left in disbelief over Santiago Carreras’ decision not to attempt a drop-goal during the dying embers of their Gallagher Prem play-off semi-final against Exeter Chiefs.
With the game on a knife-edge with seconds remaining, the visitors held a slender one-point lead at 26-27. Bath were camped on the Chiefs’ line, going through phase after phase, with the vocal Rec crowd willing them over the line to seal their place at Twickenham against Northampton Saints.
Bath were 26-10 ahead at the turnaround but a stirring comeback from Rob Baxter’s men saw them leading when the clock went into the red.
However, the hosts had a glorious chance to win the pulsating match but rather than get the ball to Carreras – who was perfectly placed at one stage in the pocket in front of the post to seal the game from the boot – they went through the phases and were ultimately held up over the line.
That signalled the end of the tie, with Chiefs players ecstatic and Bath men on the deck.
The call not to go for the three points left Lions duo O’Driscoll and Warburton in a state of bewilderment.
“You’ve got to fire a shot,” the former Ireland centre said on TNT Sports. “About 15 phases where they got into position, maybe it was even a bit later than that, maybe it was 18, 19, 20 phases, when they were deep down in the territory they wanted to be.
“That is the prime position to find yourself in, under the sticks, maybe favouring one side of the post as a right-footer, maybe, but it’s set up on the left-hand side.
“The problem is, it’s been an 80-minute game. Your forwards are exhausted, there’s lots of heat out here, there’s so much stress – you’re going to knock the ball on or you’re going to make an error. You have to take that away from the rest of your team.
“It reminds me a little bit of Wales’ semi-final in the World Cup 2011 [against France, a 9-8 defeat], maybe not 40 phases, but you never actually got one away and, if you miss it, so be it.
“Akin to the 2003 World Cup [when Jonny Wilkinson’s drop goal beat Australia], the best way to go and set up a drop goal is still to continue to play attacking rugby, to feel as though you’re going one more phase, because then the defence is back on their heels, not waiting to sprint off the line.
“If you set it up, that’s where it gets blocked down. Whereas you have to go for it, go for it, go for it, and then when you get a bit of momentum, go for it, that’s the best place to pull the trigger.
“Unfortunately, Carreras didn’t look at any point like he was clearly interested, although he almost did score himself right at the death from an attack.
“But the more phases you play, the more you run the risk of a knock-on or an exhausted pass not going to hand or, in the end, held up over the line, which is hugely frustrating.
“They’ll think about that over the summer, they’ll rue the missed opportunity of just taking a shot. You can never blame anyone for missing a shot, you’ve got to take a shot.”
Carreras, playing at fly-half in the absence of the injured Finn Russell, had never scored a drop goal for Argentina, Gloucester or Bath.
Ever the statesman, Warburton reluctantly agreed with O’Driscoll.
“I feel bad saying it but Carreras has to step up, he has to step up at that moment,” he said. “We were watching it on the screen, I bet there were No. 10s screaming at the TV. It was the perfect opportunity to take the three points.
“Your forwards had gone 80 minutes into the game, over 30 phases.”
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan later fronted up to TNT Sports to explain why the decision was taken not to go for a drop goal right at the death.
“We were set up for the drop goal and we were set up to take it wide,” said Van Graan. “Ultimately, the decision was made to pick and go and I’ll back the team.
“On reflection, there was so much space on the outside but we win together and we lose together.
“From an effort and intent point of view, I can’t fault these players, and it came down to the last action of the game.”
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