Prop Francois van Wyk scored one of Bath’s eight tries in a 50-14 win against a woeful Newcastle Red Bulls at Kingston Park on Sunday.
It was Bath’s sixth English Premiership victory this season as winless Newcastle crashed to a seventh league defeat.
Having slipped to third place on Saturday after wins for Exeter and Northampton, Bath will celebrate Christmas in pole position for a third consecutive season.
Second-placed Exeter and third-placed Northampton are both three points adrift of the leaders.
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Ollie Leatherbarrow’s early try for Newcastle sparked Bath into action and Dan Frost touched down twice for the visitors.
Amanaki Mafi replied for Newcastle with a try but Archie Griffin went over to hand Bath a five-point lead at the interval.
Van Wyk, Will Butt, Tom de Glanville, Ben Spencer and Ted Hill all crossed in a ruthless second-half display from Bath.
Round 7 results:
Leicester 45 Gloucester 14
Northampton 47 Sale 21
Saracens 24 Exeter 30
Harlequins 14 Bristol 40
Newcastle 14 Bath 50
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
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