By Sterops
November 15 2004

A trip to Bath is always worthwhile, and a weekend spent in that fair city can go a long way to making up for the disappointment of defeat. Sterops was one who watched the Sale 'A' team and posted these thoughts on the message board. How we quite manged to go in at half time only five points down was beyond me, since the opening half hour bordered on the shambolic at times. I posted on Friday that, despite my pessimistic tendencies, I believed we might get something out of the game if we managed to win first phase possession and then keep the ball; hardly a new line of thinking or a revolutionary concept for the game of rugby. What transpired was quite ghastly to behold in the first thirty minutes as Bath pilfered our line-out at will and any ball we won we simply surrendered via some shocking kicks or equally abysmal distribution. Allied to this was conceding one try which left me numb as two of our players simply watched a ball roll and bounce around in our 22 only for the impressive Crockett to snaffle and run in for a gift. We were that poor I actually feared fifty points was on the cards. Maggie's charge down and gallop seemed to have a dual effect on proceedings: waking us from our horrible slumber and seemingly denting their confidence. This, allied to Humphreys' departure for his practised art form, the collapsed maul, gave us a sniff.

Our first ten minutes of the second half saw us continue to take the game to them, principally through the close up work of the forward pack and the inside backs. We genuinely threatened, but slashing runs and dashes, whilst eyecatching and cavalier in style, count for nought if players continue to fail to demonstrate basic contact skills in terms of ball protection and presentation: QED. The game drifted away from us after this bright start as Bath reasserted their dominance. We "twitched" a few times to show there was still life in us, possibly bombed one good chance out wide and got the rough end of a touch judge call close to their line: Seabass applied some shoe to a Bath player who collapsed the maul five out. The player was Humphreys, and I expected a red for the repeat offence yet we were penalised. Seabass was distraught, Humphreys smiled wryly and applauded the clearing kick and that was the last we really offered.

Bath speccies afterwards were really decent. They were keen to suggest international absentees had weakened us more than them, which I thought was very generous. I suggested that their incoming players had actually performed better than ours - certainly their young lock Hudson was impressive: I'd not seen him before, whilst their regular squad players Fidler and Scaysbrook put them selves about to excellent effect. Perry, on his return, looked very good indeed, whilst we never fully got to grips with Crockett in the centre. For us: well, we scrummaged well. That's as good as game as I've seen the Bear play on the tight head for a while and I heard a few better judges than I comment on this post game. Stu Turner also put Donut under the squeeze as well. Bob Todd did remarkably well at fifteen, a position he hasn't featured in since his playing days in NZ, though the lack of chat between him and Chris Mayor for one Bath try appeared significant to me. Bozzi and Yippy both got on, with Bozzi succeeding in staying on after his recent two red cards, though it was only for five minutes or so and he shamed Brendan Daniel by catching him from behind. Individually Seabass, Lilo and Billy Smarts did some good things but all at different times - at least Billy's defensive game was good - but as the brains trust of the side at 8, 9 and 10, we didn't look too cerebral. Seabass is not an eight; I don't think he's got the required dexterity. This might seem like sacrilege to many on this board who accord him iconic status, shirts and all but I think he's an out and out six... so queue up and have your pops now. Lilo's physical edge was again evident but option taking... hmmm. Billy tried too hard and his game fell apart alarmingly... not the end of the world though. We got exposed yesterday through the squad being overstretched... but I don't think it will be any easier for the rest of the month.