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Bath’s treble win blends yesteryear charm with the recently unthinkable

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70% Informative

Bath beat Leicester to become champions of England at the 29th time of asking.

Bath secured their pre-eminence in the 80s and 90s by being ahead of the game, if not by paying their players.

After 1996 , when professionalism became a directive for everyone, that special edge was lost.

As in 1996 , they have topped the table by playing the rugby of the gods, scoring five tries a match on average.

Even though Leicester rallied to score their third try with five to go, the excellent Emeka Ilione finishing round the fringes, just as Solomone Kata had a few minutes earlier , all with Cole in the bin, Bath managed to hold out. How different it all seems from the 20th century . And yet how very much the same..