Bath overpower Lyon to win European Challenge Cup

European Challenge Cup final

Bath: (17) 37

Tries: Dunn, Ojomoh, Obano, Spencer Cons: Russell 4 Pens: Russell 3

Lyon: (5) 12

Tries: Dumortier, Bortha Cons: Berdeu

Bath clinched their first European title in 17 years with a commanding display against Lyon in the Challenge Cup final in Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

The Premiership league leaders survived first-half ill-discipline - with two players being shown a yellow card - to take a 17-5 lead through Tom Dunn and Max Ojomoh tries.

Beno Obano then scored their third before captain Ben Spencer dived under the posts to seal the victory.

Navit Niniashvili and Arno Botha scored the only points for Top14 side Lyon, who went into the match as the in-form team in the competition but who were outplayed across much of the field.

The game marks the start of what could be an era-defining three weeks for Bath, who remain on course for a historic treble this season.

They won the Premiership Rugby Cup in February and are heavy favourites to win the Premiership title for the first time since 1996 after securing top spot with three rounds of games to go to cruise into the play-off semi-finals.

Bath started the campaign in the Champions Cup but finished a disappointing fifth in their group to drop into the Challenge Cup in April, with this their second win in the competition - they first won it in 2008 - and fifth appearance in the final.

Lyon were searching for a second title since 2022 and they came out of the blocks the fastest, winning possession from a Bath error at kick-off to go on the offensive.

With a second lineout their maul drove forward and full-back Niniashvili got the ball out to Ethan Dumortier to dive into the corner for the first try.

Russell put Bath on the board with a penalty but they were stuttering for much of a cagey opening 15 minutes as Lyon soaked up possession. Will Butt's impressive solo break fell five metres short of a try, while Russell mistimed a pass to Will Muir who would have been in on the overlap.

However, there was no mistake when Dunn drove over from close range and his try seemed to get Bath's tails up.

With Lyon on the offensive, Bath turned the ball over and Spencer launched a 50-22 to give Bath an attacking line-out, and a long-ball found Ojomoh who spun over to make it 17-5.

But two moments of ill-discipline almost cost Bath dearly as Sam Underhill was lucky not to see a red card for a head-on-head tackle on Niniashvili, and Muir was also yellow carded six minutes later for taking a player out in the air.

Lyon could not make the two-player advantage count as Dumortier drifted through two players and under the posts, but his try was scratched off for obstruction in the line-out beforehand. Bath's defence then held firm as their forwards piled on the pressure right before the break.

A Russell penalty after half-time stretched Bath's lead to 20-5, before Lyon finally made some ground through Botha, who charged over to close the gap to eight points.

Yet it was short-lived and Lyon were unable to come up with many answers as their players tired and Bath brought on reinforcements from their bench.

Obano scored their third try from a quick tap and go penalty as Bath again came at Lyon's line, and Spencer all but sealed the win 12 minutes later when Tom de Glanville punched a hole in Lyon's defence and passed inside to the club captain who dived under the posts.

Russell kicked another penalty as the game slowed in the final 20 minutes to cap another night in what could be a remarkable season for the West country club.

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Butt, Muir; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Underhill, Reid.

Replacements: Annett, Van Wyk, Du Toit, Molony, Pepper, Carr-Smith, Donoghue, Barbeary.

Sin-bin: Underhill (28 mins), Muir (34 mins).

Lyon: Niniashvili; Rattez, Maraku, Millet, Dumortier; Berdeu, Couilloud (c); Rey, Chat, Ainsley, William, Guillard, Cretin, Saginadze, Botha.

Replacements: Marchand, Kaabeche, Aptsiauri, Lambey, Allen, Gouzou, Page-Relo, Meliande.

Referee: Hollie Davidson.