BATH roared into the last eight of the Powergen Cup as Australia Day arrived a couple of months early at the Rec.

Tries from Wylie Human, Robbie Kydd, Zac Feaunati, James Scaysbrook and Simon Danielli merely widened the already-broad smiles on the faces of Queenslander Connolly and his Antipodean assistants Michael Foley, Brian Smith and Richard Graham.

The home coaching team were already celebrating their country's shock World Cup semi-final victory over New Zealand.

And this triumph, while not as comfortable as suggested, gave them even more to be happy about as Bath's rip-roaring start to the campaign showed no sign of abating.

For Saints' former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith however, there was more misery as his troops' hopes of a third successive Twickenham final appearance were dashed.

Indeed, the parallels with events in Sydney earlier on Saturday morning must have been painful for the Northampton chief, already mourning his country's demise.

His side had plenty, if not most, of the ball, but Bath like Australia were simply awesome in defence. The visitors huffed and puffed, but virtually nothing got through the blue wall in front of them.

Northampton the last team to win at the Rec ended Bath's cup dream with a 30-29 result last season and, early on, suggested they had the threat to perform a repeat.

They dominated territory but Bath somehow reached the 20-minute mark level as fly-half Olly Barkley traded penalties with his opposite number Shane Drahm.

He then nudged the home side ahead with a second kick before Bath opened their try count on the half-hour.

Even that had echoes of the World Cup semi as Nick Beal's woeful pass to Bruce Reihana was picked off by Human who, Stirling Mortlock-style, raced 50 metres for an interception try.

Back roared Saints, but Bath performed heroics in defence twice foiling three-man overlaps and Barkley and Drahm added a kick each before visiting hooker Dan Richmond and Feaunati were sin-binned in quick succession for killing the ball and a late tackle respectively.

If Northampton needed a fillip after the break, Bath gifted them one with a soft try four minutes in. Reihana booted upfield and was on hand to touch down as home scrum-half Martyn Wood fumbled the ball near his own line.

That could have been a key turning point. Instead, Bath won a quick lineout and centre Robbie Kydd burst through flimsy tackling to re-establish the advantage with a converted try.

That sucked the life out of Northampton, who were even unable to take advantage of Danielli's binning for a high tackle on Drahm.

Andy Beattie and Steve Borthwick punched through the middle to set up Feaunati's touchdown before Wood cut through and provided sub Scaysbrook with a try with his first touch.

And, with Saints attacking, Danielli rounded off a 70-metre break to score under the posts.

Bath: Perry (Sampson 70), Human, Higgins, Kydd, Williams (Danielli 29, yellow card, 55, high tackle), Barkley, Wood (Martens 70), Flatman, Humphreys (capt) (Mears 61), Bell (Stevens 61), Borthwick, Fidler, Beattie, Lipman (Scaysbrook 67), Feaunati (yellow card, 40, late tackle) (Gray 70).

Northampton Saints: Beal, Brooks, Hyndman, Leslie (co-capt), Reihana, Drahm (Sleightholme 71), Howard (Jones 74), Morris (Sturgess 49), Richmond (yellow card 38, killing possession), Budgen (Sturgess 6-11, blood, Morris 70, blood), Lord (Seely 57), Hunter (Phillips 61), Connors, Fox, Blowers (co-capt). Subs not used: Miles, Clarke.

Referee: Ashley Rowden (RFU)

Attendance: 5,723