Max Ojomoh picks perfect time to strut his stuff ahead of England squad announcement
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It took runaway Premiership leaders Bath, with Max Ojomoh sending a powerful message to England coach Steve Borthwick, to show the rest of the country how it is done in Europe. On four occasions this weekend in the Investec Champions Cup, Premiership took on French foes and all but Bath found themselves vanquished. However, Johann van Graan’s side dispatched Clermont Auvergne at the Rec in bonus-point style and put themselves right in the frame for a last-16 spot.
Admittedly, Bath must travel to Leinster next Saturday in Pool Two, one of the competition’s tightest, but if other results go their way – Bristol travel to Clermont and Benetton host La Rochelle – then they might only need a point in Dublin. It will all come down to the final round.
Bath’s task was made easier by a first-half red card to Clermont prop Giorgi Akhaladze for a shoulder to the head of Ojomoh – no mitigation, a high degree of danger, and the end of the game as a proper contest. Ojomoh, as yet uncapped and sure to be on the radar of the watching Borthwick ahead of Tuesday’s England squad announcement, shrugged off the early blow to play centre stage in Bath’s victory.
Even from the start, where Bath’s tempo was blistering, the game quickly descended into the Ojomoh Show. The 24-year-old was involved in almost every major incident in the first half: the red card, two Bath tries, and even one for Clermont. The centre broke through a pathetic Anthony Belleau tackle early on and when Bath recycled the ball, Tom de Glanville had the pace to finish out wide.
