Guinness Premiership try of the year

First things first, allow me to apologise for the misleading title. This isn't the best try in the Guinness Premiership, it's one of the best tries ever. The Rocket man David Lemi doing what he does best - destroying opposition defences.

It happened on September 7th, and you couldn't have asked for a grander stage. The season's curtain-raiser and a mouthwatering local derby bathed in Bristol sunshine. Optimism was high, and the Bristol support blissfully unaware of the treacherous, and often painful journey that awaited them.

Now the club find themselves beaten and bruised, cut adrift at the foot of the Guinness Premiership, staring relegation square in the face. Currently, Bath Rugby have amassed 33 more points than their neighbours, and as well as challenging for the league title, are embarking upon a successful Heineken Cup run. But in that moment Butch James and co. were brought down to earth with a bump by a plucky and diminutive Samoan.

It began with Bath scrum half Michael Claassens committing the cardinal sin of professional rugby - kicking the ball to David Lemi in broken play. Waltzing past James Scaysbrook with ease, the winger produced an audacious step, leaving a red-faced Claassens stranded and bemused somewhere on the M32.

Then came the difficult part.

How do you get past Matt Stevens and Lee Mears, two top-class international front-rowers intent on stopping your progress? You can't go round them, and when you weigh eleven stone you ain't going over them. Well, if your name's David Lemi you just go straight through them. Leaving a cloud of dust in his wake, the islander burst through a seemingly impossible gap, brushing aside Peter Short's despairing dive.

Having duly dispatched six hapless defenders, Lemi delicately chipped over the on-rushing full-back Nick Abendanon, his searing pace taking him into Bath's 22 metre zone. But there was still plenty to do, and with Australian lock Justin Harrison and Tom Cheeseman breathing down the Rocket man's neck, one would expect him to falter.

Instead, Lemi flicks the rolling ball past Cheeseman, plucking it from the floor like it was easy pickings and bundling over the line. The supporters gave him a standing ovation, and boy, did he deserve it.

Watch it. Enjoy it. Appreciate the genius that is David Lemi.