One day between now and the season ahead the club owners of the land will sit down and try to ring-fence their investments. Or perhaps even try to expand the premier division to 14. They will do this because, as surely as arms manufacturers think of ways of sneaking the odd crate of Bren guns into Kandahar, business comes first. But until they do, and render all this end-of-season huffing and puffing meaningless, the basement is the only place to be.
This was a game of excruciatingly poor quality - desperate stuff - but at least it made for gripping viewing. Iain Balshaw, bringing to the outside-half position all the sure-footedness of a drunk falling off the kerb, tried to calm nerves by repeating his drop-goal exploits of mid-week, when he landed two against London Irish. Yesterday he tried five and missed five.
With Mike Tindall patently carrying an injury, Bath's options were limited. Tindall the ball-carrier couldn't carry and Balshaw the kicker couldn't kick. So, they won ball and went precisely nowhere for most of the afternoon.
Leeds presented them with a stack of possession, courtesy of a line-out that was as flaky as a Balshaw drop goal. But one thing Leeds have done all season is tackle. Faced with an attacking threat as blunt as Bath's, they entered the spirit of the first half: the search for the occasional penalty.
Here, at least, there was a bit of quality on display. Olly Barkley missed with only one attempt at goal, while Braam Van Straaten missed with two, but that was because the former Springbok insisted on trying to blast the ball over from anything up to half a mile from the posts.
At half-time, the score was 6-6. Bath had had the better possession, Leeds the better breaks, through the likes of another ex Springbok in their ranks, Jappie Mulder, one of those squat, strong-of-thigh South Africans who might be a bit handy in a relegation crisis. Mulder was indeed to play his part in deciding the outcome. Unfortunately for the centre, this was not one for the album.
Bath found themselves with a throw five metres from the Leeds line, thanks to a touch of a fingertip belonging to Dan Hyde on a kick by Barkley. Danny Grewcock won the line-out, joined in the drive and then had a solo rumble before the ball was released to the backs. Danielli, strong but hardly Jonah, skipped through Mulder's tackle.
As Van Straaten twice edged Leeds back to within four points, Barkley kept them at arms' length. Not only did he kick a third penalty, but he then provided the one moment of real comfort. Danielli launched a counter-attack near half-way. Barkley was in support and then in the clear as the Leeds defence opened up.
Bath went potty. The players lapped the field and the crowd roared. Just like the old days. Except that this had been the stuff of nightmares and not many of the smiling players will be able to count on much of a future here. Business is business, their owner will no doubt tell them.
As for Leeds, they still have a life-line. On the field, that is; not in any owners' get-togethers to come. This relegation drama may not be good for the clubs at the bottom, but for the rest of us it is at least carrying the season to a thrilling finish.
Bath: Thirlby; Danielli, Tindall, Barkley, Voyce; Balshaw, Cooper (Dalzell 59); Barnes (Mallett 65), Regan (Mears 73), Emms (Barnes 79), Borthwick, Grewcock, Scaysbrook (G Thomas 46), Gabey (N Thomas 46), Lyle (capt).
Leeds: Benson; Scarbrough, Mulder (Hall 63), Van Straaten, Woof, Bachop, Benton; Shelley (capt), Rawlinson, Kerr (Wring 58), E Jones(Hogg 58), Murphy, Mather, Hyde, Feaunati (Clarke 63).
Referee: C White (Cheltenham)
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