BATH boss Todd Blackadder believes his players "passed the character test" after they fought back from 12 points adrift to beat Aviva Premiership play-off rivals Leicester at Twickenham.

England star Anthony Watson scored two late tries as Bath triumphed 27-21 and moved level on points with fourth-placed Tigers.

Watson's England team-mate Jonathan Joseph also touched down, while Leicester-bound England number 10 George Ford added two penalties and three conversions in front of a 61,800 crowd.

"We wanted to back up all the work off the field for this game with a really good performance, and we knew if we kept playing some really good rugby then we would give ourselves a good chance," Bath rugby director Blackadder said.

"I knew we would fire. Our preparation this week was one of the best we've had, and being on the back foot (in the first-half) we couldn't go into our shells, and there was real belief in the second-half.

"Everyone played their part.

"George Ford was outstanding and really controlled the game, and I am just so pleased that our players passed the character test in that we hadn't come back from behind before in similar situations."

Blackadder highlighted the contributions of Watson and Bath's Wales number eight Taulupe Faletau, who helped Bath recover from a 12-0 deficit, adding: "Anthony has got some gas, hasn't he? He has got some absolute feet on him. He was outstanding.

"And I think Toby (Faletau) is back to his best.

"You need big-game players to really step up, and not only did he execute his role really well, he made a vital break (to set up a try) when it really counted. That's what a real class player looks like.

"I thought he was back to his best by a mile.

"We just wanted to play our part in the day. Can we get 60,000 every week? It was a really special day for the club, and we have well and truly put things back on track for next week (against Worcester).

"To play here was too good an opportunity to turn down - it was a memory for all the staff, supporters and players."

Early tries by flanker Brendon O'Connor and full-back Telusa Veainu put Leicester in charge, but they lost their way during the final quarter.

Tigers fly-half Freddie Burns, who will move in the opposite direction from Ford to Bath next term, kicked three penalties and a conversion before limping off injured 15 minutes from time, yet Leicester were left to reflect on what might have been as Watson took centre-stage.

"We are really disappointed," Tigers assistant coach Geordan Murphy said. "The first 25 minutes, we played the way we wanted to, then I think we just switched off a little bit.

"We are disappointed with our lack of execution. I think we were in Bath's 22 seven times, and we only executed twice (in terms of points) and that kills you.

"In the last 15 or 20 minutes, I thought we just forced things and made uncharacteristic mistakes. It is a lesson for us to learn.

"It is going to be a bit of a shoot-fight to see who can probably pick up bonus points and hopefully get three wins from their remaining games.

"If we can go out and get our wins, then hopefully we will nick a top-four spot. I don't ever remember it being this tight, but it is. We have still got control of the situation."