Diego Albanese sank to his knees at the end, head bowed, hands wiping away the tears and rooted to the spot as his team-mates celebrated an unlikely win brought about by Matt Holt's try in the dying seconds of a fractious encounter.
The Argentinian wing could be forgiven for letting the situation get the better of him. He had just played his last game for the Tykes, one that ended in avoiding relegation after having secured their place in next season's Heineken Cup by dint of beating Bath 14 days beforehand in the Powergen Cup final.
Bath were winners of sorts too, their bonus point ensuring a fourth-placed finish and with it entry to Europe's toughest club tournament next season.
It seems the Bath coach John Connolly will at least be around to help Michael Foley through the first half of next season, during which Jonathan Humphreys will begin to cut his teeth as a coach after ending his career with an admirable 30-minute cameo.
Even Holt was able to say a memorable farewell as he headed for life as player-coach at Caldy rugby club. He said: "We are starting to create some momentum and it would have been a disaster if we'd been relegated. There's a groundswell for rugby union in the city and Yorkshire. We have displayed a tremendous passion and will to keep going and everyone deserves maximum credit for that."
Having established those credentials, the Leeds director of rugby Phil Davies knows the signing of the All Black scrum-half Justin Marshall will only add to hopes for next season.
As for Bath, Connolly admits they have a problem playing at home . "I'm not sure why it is, but we've not done well at the Rec this season," he said. "We've got more points away from home than any other team, but the players have done very well. We are in Europe, which was the first goal."
Bath: Perry; Williams, Cheeseman, Barkley, Welsh; Malone, Wood (Walshe, 62); Barnes, Humphreys (capt; Mears, 30), Bell, Hudson, Grewcock, Lewis, Delve, Scaysbrook.
Pen: Barkley. Drop-goal: C Malone.
Leeds: Albanese; Snyman, Christophers, Bell, Biggs; Ross, Dickens; Shelley, Regan (Rawlinson, 57), Kerr (Holt, 47), Hooper (capt), Morgan, Rigney (Dunbar, 66), Popham, Parks (Hyde, 47).
Try: Holt. Con: Ross. Pen: Ross.
Referee: S Lander (Wirral).
Attendance: 10,500.
