Match Preview: Anger Management


By Ed Scott
November 17 2011

Round two of the Heineken Cup is a home fixture to tournament newcomers, Montpellier. Although still early in the competition, this really is a must win game if we want to give ourselves any chance of progressing into the knockout stages.

Last weekend was full of disappointment for us all. With less than two minutes left on the clock, the kicking of Tom Heathcote had kept Bath in a game where they showed little precision, invention or guile. Stephen Donald stepped up to take a kick for victory and it went over (just!). A botched kick off (one of many this season), handed possession to Glasgow who took the victory via a drop goal deflection and vicious bounce of the rugby ball. We dominated territory and possession, but the speed of ball and the lack of imagination in attack, coupled with yet more penalties, meant that we have no right to blame the loss on luck.
 
There are a plethora of posts on the board about the game, ranging from the very angry to the optimistic - I know that some of you are apoplectic! I fall somewhere in between these, with pure frustration dominating. I genuinely believe that we have a squad capable of good things. For me there are key problems that we need to fix in order to make a difference against Montpellier and further forward.
 
The main issue involves the pack. There are lots of conversations about our front row, but if you look at the game on Saturday, the penalty count in the scrums was about 50:50. The major problem is dynamism and fight. We never seem to counter ruck, with our breakdown work ponderous and lacking true aggression. Therefore even though we are winning lots of phases, the ball is slow and defences have all the time in the world to organise. This makes Claassens even more indecisive and the backs end up with poor ball. I don't know what is needed to get the intensity and hunger, but something needs to be done, and quickly.
 
The latter is a more positive note. This is a team who really don't know each other. If you look at our 23 from Saturday, 13 of them were either in our academy or playing for another team last season. Many of the squad were away at the world cup or injured, and I feel simply haven't had the chance to gel yet. Team synergy in rugby is vital. Quins are a prime example of this. They have few stars (Nick Evans aside) but they have become a well oiled unit over three years of consistently playing together. Bath simply have had far too much change over the last few years to have this. There are many on the board listing the players they want, or saying who should go, but that won't solve anything, and certainly isn't going to change at this stage of the season. We need to have the same guys playing together, week in week out, before we can judge.
 
That said, there are players that need to raise their game. Hooper has much to prove, as I think most agree that he has been outplayed by both Attwood and Caldwell this season. Claassens must speed the ball up, and Moody needs to come in and prove a point to all the doubters. We need to give time to Stephen Donald (he is not going to turn this team around single handedly over night) and I welcome the return of Barkley and Banahan, both of whom I really thought we missed on the weekend.
 
Montpellier are somewhat of an unknown quantity as this is their first Heineken Cup. Last season however they made the final of the French Top 14, losing to Toulouse. With Trinh-Duc they have an excellent fly half, alongside a powerful pack, complete with a fine selection of Georgian and Argentinean Props. On the weekend they played with real passion against Leinster, and it could be argued were somewhat unlucky not to come away with the win. Make no bones about it, this is going to be a physical battle and our forwards are going to have to step it up to compete. If they fail to do so, Trinh-Duc will kick us all over the park and undoubtedly make us pay for any indiscretions to the tune of three points.
 
That said, we know that French teams don't tend to travel well and if we can nullify their pack and pressurise their kicking game, then the opportunities will be there. Selection this week is likely again to be based on injuries. Few changes will occur in the pack, however I assume that Donald and Banahan will start at 10 and 12, with there being a chance that Olly Barkley and Lewis Moody will be on the bench.
 
This is no easy task, however, if Bath can put some pace and aggression into the game, then I believe we have the players to get our European Campaign back on track.

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Match Preview: Anger Management
Discussion started by BathRugbyEre.co.uk , 17/11/2011 22:13
BathRugbyEre.co.uk
17/11/2011 22:13
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:11:20:20:25:39 by Susanne.

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Widcombe boy
18/11/2011 09:14
Well balanced preview Ed and agree with all of your points. Really need the team to step up this weekend.
Thanks

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sid the seagull
18/11/2011 10:32
Didn't Chron say Banahan nt recovered?
Well balanced wotsit though.

PECK

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Bathovalballer
18/11/2011 11:56
Well ballanced yes and i would agree this game will be won up front -end of story! If our pack do not show the agression we have lacked for about 2 seasons we will get beaten and badly so!

I sincerely hope that commonsense prevails and Hoopers lack of agression, leadership and very poor form means he is left in the hutch. We cannot carry passengers or men looking for form or grunt against a fired up physically agressive French pack who will not lack for commitment especially after their showing against Leinster last week. WE MUST NOT give away any penalties within Tran-Ducs range and must get fast clean ball. This means the forwards must drive and PROTECT Classens.

Our lineout has to work like clockwork and we need to nick some of their throws as well to dominate the ball and hopefully kick accurately for field position.

Lastly I understand Banners is not about so even more reason for the back row to drive into them to gain momentum and tie their defenders down.

IF we win, and I am trying to be positive but am not confident, it will be very close and if leading near the end, CLOSE the match out not give away daft scores to unlucky bounces. You make your own luck.

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annie blackthorn
19/11/2011 12:06
Thank goodness for an honest assessment of what has been going on for the past few weeks.

This should be compulsory reading for all Bath players with enough humility and sense to read and not dismiss as so much waffle - there are those on the board who post who have played the game, are intelligent, enough to know it ain't that easy and those like me who love the game, have watched at Prem level for long enough to know when things are right or not, and follow Bath with loyalty and great patience and wish them all well. Of course the gameplan etc. is a part of the story, but the stupid mistakes, lack of judgement by quite a few very experienced players must be stopped. Now.

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Bri
19/11/2011 14:38
Everybody moaning about our pack,Northampton haven't done so well with there massive pack and one of the best in the Premiership.

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annie blackthorn
19/11/2011 17:56
Ain't bothered about Saints. They have their own problems with Mallinder one of the front runners for the thankless poisoned chalice job.

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callmeMrTibbs
20/11/2011 12:31
Here's the Montpelier side:

Montpellier:15 Lucas Amorosino, 14 Martin Bustos Moyano, 13 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 12 Paul Bosch, 11 J-B Peyras Loustalet, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Julien Tomas, 8 Mamuka Gorgodze, 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6 Rémy Martin, 5 Thibaut Privat, 4 Joe Tuineau, 3 Maximiliano Bustos, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili.
Replacements: 16 Rassie van vuuren, 17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga, 18 George Jgenti, 19 Drickus Hancke, 20 Masi Matadigo, 21 Benoit Paillaugue, 22 Santiago Fernandez, 23 Yoan Audrin.


Now off to the pub to lubricate the tonsils before the game! (Sm128)

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