Bath's focus this season has now shifted to the end-of-season play-offs in the English Premiership and the way they cruised past London Irish at the Madjeski Stadium last night into second place in the Premiership suggested they still have plenty of gas to burn.
Any side containing Mike Catt is guaranteed to cut loose at some stage and a hat-trick of tries were reward for yet another supreme individual display by the England centre.
A seven-try stuffing represented the heaviest home defeat of a frustrating season for Irish whose departing director of rugby Dick Best, conspicuous by his absence last night, is now on "gardening leave" pending the installation of a new regime to be headed by the former Springbok centre Brendan Venter.
The Exiles took the field under the temporary stewardship of coach Ged Glynn and their injured captain, Conor O'Shea.
Irish's disjointed initial efforts were symptomatic of much of their season. Bath were initially content to prey on errors, with three Jon Preston penalties, before Catt sped untouched past Colin Allan to score by the posts.
Then Shaun Berne escaped Glenn Delaney's tackle to leave the Exiles trailing 23-6.
As Bath eased off before halftime the Exiles finally made some territorial headway. But the 5,303 crowd were treated to a second superb individual Catt effort in the 49th minute, as her breached the defensive line with ease to sprint over from 45 metres.
It took a long-range interception which eventually led to a converted try by Geoff Appleford to keep Irish remotely in touch. Bath, though, ensured a bonus point with a fourth try by Martin Haag from a lineout and Catt's cross kick for Nathan Thomas was another gem from a now-familiar repertoire.
Scorers: London Irish - Tries: Oliver. Cons: Everitt. Pens: Everitt 2. Bath -Tries: Catt 3, Berne, Haag, N Thomas, Thirlby. Cons: Preston 6, Perry. Pens: Preston 3.
London Irish: Cunningham; Sackey, Appleford, Oliver, Bishop; Everitt, Campbell; Worsley, Alexopoulous, Hardwick, Strudwick, Delaney, Cockle, Allen, Bates. Replacements: Kirke for Sackey (61), Tonu'u for Campbell (68), Hatley for Worsley (52), Hunt for Alexopoulous (61), Halford for Hardwick (7), Fahrensohn for Delaney (57), Danaher for Allen (41).
Bath: Perry; Thirlby, Maggs, Berne, Voyce; Catt, Preston; Barnes, Regan, Mallett, Haag, Borthwick, N Thomas, Clarke, Lyle. Replacements: Cox for Berne (41), Adebayo for Catt (76), Williams for Preston (74), Long for Regan (61), Emms for Mallett (68), Gabey for Haag (68), Gardiner for Lyle (57). Att: 5,303
Referee: Steve Leyshon (RFU).
