issue documented here: https://jira.springsource.org/browse/DATAGRAPH-142

Code:
@Test @Transactional
    public void testConnectToRootEntity() {
        final Node referenceNode = neo4jTemplate.getReferenceNode();
        neo4jTemplate.postEntityCreation(referenceNode,RootEntity.class);
        final RootEntity root = neo4jTemplate.findOne(referenceNode.getId(), RootEntity.class);
        root.setRootName("RootName");
        neo4jTemplate.save(root);
        assertEquals(referenceNode.getId(), (long) root.getId());
        assertEquals("RootName", referenceNode.getProperty("rootName"));
        assertEquals("RootName", root.getRootName());

        final Person person = new Person();
        person.setRoot(root);
        neo4jTemplate.save(person);
        final Person p2 = neo4jTemplate.findOne(person.getId(), Person.class);
        assertEquals(root.getId(),p2.getRoot().getId());
    }