Bath posted notice that they are developing into the complete package of forward power and back-line flair with this nine-try destruction of Saracens ensuring them a place in the Guinness Premiership playoffs.

There was ample evidence here that Steve Meehan, their Australian coach, is building a team to compare with the all-conquering Bath sides of the 1980s and early 1990s, and their administrators should be kicking themselves that two linchpins, inside-centre Olly Barkley, who scored 31 of those points with two tries and flawless goalkicking, and lock and captain Steve Borthwick, were possibly playing their last home games before moving to Gloucester and Saracens respectively next season.

Possibly, because should they beat Gloucester on Saturday, they will almost certainly claim a home semi-final – however, on this showing, home or away, they will take some stopping.

There was always a sense that Saracens might have left something of their soul, as well as their bodies, on the field at the Ricoh Arena after taking Mun-ster to the wire last weekend, and so it proved. With nothing left to play for this season, Saracens were always going to be vulnerable – and Bath are not a charitable outfit. They were ruthlessly efficient in the first half, setting out their stall from the kick-off by launching an 11-phase attack that saw them monopolise the ball for the first four minutes, with Barkley kicking a penalty to get Bath off the mark.

It was the beginning of an irresistible Bath blitz that saw them register six first-half tries. The first try came after Glen Jack-son had put the ball out on the full from the restart, allowing Bath to launch Joe Maddock through the middle after the scrum on halfway. Maddock found Michael Lipman and Nick Abendanon in close support, and they put Daniel Browne clear, Barkley converting.

A brilliant one-handed catch off a Jackson clearance by Maddock was the preamble for the next Bath assault, and it finished with Barkley dancing between two Saracens defenders to score. He had no sooner converted than Batch scored again, Lee Mears and Alex Crockett combining to put Lipman over. With Bath far sharper in every department, and Lipman hoovering up any 50-50 ball, Saracens had no possession to work with, and no answer to Bath’s all-court game.

Just after the half-hour Mears hacked through and the angular Jonny Faamatuainu put Mad-dock through to score. Next Butch James profited from a Barkley grubber kick and on the stroke of half-time came a virtuoso effort from Bath’s answer to Jonah Lomu, Matt Banahan. Receiving the ball deep in his 22, the 6ft 8in wing set off, showing genuine pace over 80 metres to outstrip Paul Gustard and cut inside Francisco Leonelli for a spectacular try. The conversion gave Bath a 45-0 interval lead. The only blemish was Michael Claassens’ yellow card for killing the ball at a ruck on Bath’s line.

For the record, Saracens made more of a contest of it in the second half, scoring tries through Adam Powell, Kevin Yates and Kameli Ratuvou, but with Barkley and Lipman getting a brace each, and Andrew Higgins rounding off the Bath account, normal service soon resumed.

Star man: Olly Barkley (Bath)

Bath: N Abendanon (Crockett h-t); J Maddock, A Crockett (S Berne 36min), O Barkely, M Banahan (A Higgins 65min); B James, M Claassens; D Barnes (D Bell 26min), L Mears (P Dixon h-t), M Stevens, S Borthwick (capt), D Grewcock, J Faamatuainu, D Browne (Z Feau’nati 55min), M Lipman

Saracens: F Leonelli; Scarborough, K Sorrell (capt), A Powell, K Ratuvou; G Jackson, M Rauluni (A Dickens 31min); K Yates, F Ongaro (M Cairns h-t), C Johnston (B Willis 72min), T Ryder, I Fullerton (D Seymour h-t), K Chesney, P Gustard, D Barrell (A Saull 74min)

Yellow cards: Bath:Claassens (40min), James (53 min)