While it may only be celebrating its third birthday this season, The Clash has quickly established itself as one of the standout fixtures of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby season, and this weekend’s offering is all set to continue in that rich tradition.

Although Saturday afternoon’s fixture sets up a delectable West Country rivalry, with Bristol Bears the side tasked with spoiling Bath Rugby’s party, the opening two Clash match-ups saw Bath take on Leicester Tigers in what were a pair of classics.

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And with this year’s Clash now just two days away, what better way to get yourself in the mood than by casting the mind back across what has become one of Gallagher Premiership Rugby’s standout events?

Bath Rugby 27-21 Leicester Tigers, April 2017

With almost 62,000 fans packed into Twickenham for this one, the stage was well and truly set for a feast of rugby.

But in the new-look fixture, things weren’t going to plan for Bath as the Tigers raced into a 15-10 half-time lead thanks to scores from Brendon O’Connor and a beauty from Telusa Veainu, who chased his own chip in-behind the Bath line to dive over as the ball landed perfectly for him.

We're over the 5⃣4⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ mark for Saturday. Who's joining us at Twickenham as we take on @BristolBears? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

There's still time to purchase tickets via the RFU ➡️ https://t.co/0cUgc3zG5p pic.twitter.com/jREA4N5hfu

— Bath Rugby (@bathrugby) 3 April 2019

It would require a stirring second-half display, then, to send Bath fans hope happy, but a pair of Freddie Burns penalties stretched out the Tigers’ lead to 21-13.

When all looked lost, however, up stepped Anthony Watson, single-handedly determined not to let the first Clash go down in history as a Bath defeat.

He grabbed a try when he put the finishing touches to a trademark Taulupe Faletau run before Bath smelt blood when JP Pietersen saw yellow for the Tigers.

And Watson made sure he would go down as the hero when he capped a dramatic comeback with the winning score after Matt Banahan’s break.

Bath Rugby 19-34 Leicester Tigers, April 2018

A year had passed, and the Tigers were still smarting from defeat in the inaugural Clash when they returned to the Twickenham pitch for round two.

Again, 60,000 fans made the trip to the Home of Rugby, eager to see another hotly-fought contest with the season drawing to a close.

🎥| "There's a huge crowd, fantastic support from both teams and a chance to watch some quality rugby."

Pat Lam excited by #TheClash with @bathrugby ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8PNFyXFGHR

— Bristol Bears (@BristolBears) 2 April 2019

And they made their intentions clear as they looked to control things from the outset, taking a 10-6 lead after Adam Thompstone’s converted try and a George Ford – who had swapped allegiances in the intervening 12 months – penalty.

Reduced to 13 men, it seemed as though the game could slip away from Bath, but Tom Dunn had other ideas, hitting back to give them a 13-10 advantage at the break.

The second 40 belonged to Leicester, however, Sione Kalamafoni running in a quickfire double to put the Tigers back in control with an hour of rugby played.

Rhys Priestland looked to drag Bath back into the contest with his fourth and final penalty of the match but they could not stem the Tigers tide.

Sam Harrison went over despite Leicester being reduced to 14 men before Telusa Veainu added their fifth of the match, sealing a hard-earned triumph, and with it redemption.