BATH forwards coach Toby Booth has no doubt about Charlie Ewels' potential as a leader.

The England Under-20s lock captained the side in a 47-7 win over London Welsh at the Recreation Ground - only his second start for the first team.

Asked about the impact made by the Academy players today, Booth said: "You have to start with the captain. I'm sure there were a few eyebrows raised - especially when you look at the personnel around him.

"That was a strategic decision. We are trying to develop people for the long term as well as for the short term.

"Charlie captained the A League side very well - he's got good leadership potential. We thought we'd reward him for that but we didn't expose him too much and there were some serious 'lieutenants' kicking around to help him out.

"I thought he captained the side exceptionally well. Sometimes that can affect your own performance but, two weeks running, he has produced very solid performances. That bodes well for us as a club."

On the team's seven-try display, Booth added: "We can be very proud of the performance because we were pretty dominant from the outset.

"We spoke beforehand about the fundamentals of the game. We were very solid up front but we knew that we had to get a grip of the game before we could kick on.

"From a statistical point of view too, we have ended that run of three losses."

London Welsh assistant coach Ollie Smith took consolation from a spirited second-half display.

He said: "We played with some fluidity to our attack and got to the gain line and actually put Bath under a little bit of pressure.

"Unfortunately, if you concede 30 points in the first half, then it's always going to be very tough.

"It was frustrating being penalised so much at scrum time.

"It was our own mistakes and our own fault that we conceded so many points.

"Bath are a good side and if you gift them tries you're making life really hard for yourself.

"And that's been the story of our season so far, really."