Bath beat Harlequins 33-17 as Carreras helps secure opening-night bonus point

Bath opened their 2026-27 league campaign with a 33-17 victory over Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday, September 25. The visitors scored five tries to the hosts' three and secured a try bonus point. PREM Rugby's official match centre confirmed the result, while Somerset Live's report highlighted the combination of Bath's maul and Santiago Carreras' individual contribution.

Watch the highlights:

Bath had five different try-scorers: Dan du Preez, Joe Cokanasiga, Carreras, Dan Frost and Ewan Richards. Finn Russell converted four of their five tries, contributing eight points. Somerset Live reported that du Preez, Frost and Richards all scored from driving mauls, giving Bath three tries through their forward pack as well as the two supplied by their backs.

Harlequins answered Bath's early scores through Will Porter and Chandler Cunningham-South. According to Ultimate Rugby's match report, Porter crossed after du Preez had opened Bath's account, before Cokanasiga and Cunningham-South added a try apiece. Connor Slevin missed both first-half conversion attempts, leaving Harlequins without the additional points that Russell was providing for the visitors at the other end.

Carreras then broke up a Harlequins attack and turned it into a long-range try. The Argentina international used his foot to intercept the ball before recovering it and running clear. Somerset Live described a 70-metre score, a contribution that came alongside Bath's success at close range. Frost also crossed before the interval, ensuring the visitors had already scored the four tries needed for their bonus point.

Pedro Delgado gave Harlequins a response after the restart, with Slevin converting his try. The hosts subsequently lost replacement hooker Sam Riley to a yellow card in the 53rd minute. Ultimate Rugby reported that Bath did not immediately extend their advantage during that period, with the third quarter passing without another score despite Harlequins being temporarily reduced to 14 players.

Richards supplied Bath's final try from another rolling maul in the closing stages. Russell missed the conversion, leaving the final margin at 16 points. The replacement's finish completed a five-try opening-night return for Bath, while Harlequins finished with scores from Porter, Cunningham-South and Delgado and one successful conversion.