MATCH DETAILS Bath: 41 (12) Tries: Beattie, Mears, Human, Crockett Convs: Malone 3 Pens: Malone 5 Gloucester: 7 (0) Tries: Dupreez Convs: Paul

Chris Malone kicked four penalties to put the home side 12-0 ahead at half-time after a tight first half.

Gloucester then threatened briefly but Bath held firm and Andy Beattie broke through for the first try.

Lee Mears and Wylie Human went over and Duon Dupreez grabbed a consolation before Alex Crockett sealed the rout.

Beattie's try on 56 minutes had come after fine approach play and Danny Grewcock delivering the final pass.

Substitute hooker Mears had sprinted into space for the second and Beattie intercepted a wild Paul pass before allowing winger Human to complete the third.

And, by the time substitute wing Crockett secured a bonus point with the final try, Gloucester were waiting for the final whistle.

Mike Catt, who will join London Irish this summer, had received a standing ovation when he appeared off the bench and Bath will hope Matt Perry recovers from an injury in time for the final.

Bath have a dominant pack and we were well beaten Gloucester coach Dean Ryan

Bath coach John Connolly admits he is now facing a balancing act to prepare his players for the final as they have no scheduled game before the 29 May final.

"Not playing is a problem, there is no doubt about that," said Connolly. "But we have to manage what we've got.

"We will give the players time off until Wednesday, by which time we will have worked out our schedule for the next two and a half weeks."

Gloucester rugby director Nigel Melville said the defeat by Bath had been down to mental problems.

"There is no doubt we were up for it, so it can only be a mental issue and we have got to look at that," he said.

"The team didn't deliver, the players played a level below where they should be, and that is disappointing.

Cherry and Whites coach Dean Ryan added: "We came to Bath to win, and we are very upset with the outcome. Bath have a dominant pack and we were well beaten."

Bath: Perry, Higgins, Davey, Fleck, Human, Malone, Wood, Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Grewcock (capt), Beattie, Lipman, Feaunati
Replacements: Blake, Mears, Flatman, Crockett, Catt, Scaysbrook, Fidler.

Gloucester: Goodridge, Garvey, Fanolua, Paul, Simpson-Daniel, McRae, Gomarsall, Woodman, Fortey, Deacon, Cornwell, Brown, Boer (capt), Buxton, Paramore.
Replacements: Du Preez, Roncero, Wood, Eustace, Hazell, Amor, Todd.