Try Machine

By Adrian Laws
November 20 2011

No doubt much of the media reaction to this game will focus on the excellent Rec debut made by Stephen Donald. But this was the day Flats scored. And if you weren’t on your feet screaming, well, you have no soul my friend.

A game that had to be won but it did look like lessons from Glasgow hadn’t been learned when collecting the kick off was fumbled and Bath immediately found themselves under pressure. However, the home team took the first points of the game with Stephen Donald taking his first 3 pointer at the Rec with only 4 minutes on the clock.

A poor Montpellier lineout gave Bath their next chance as they stole the Ball inside the opposition 22 and Olly Woodburn found himself on the other end of a wonderful looping pass from that man Donald with the try line beckoning him over. The conversion struck the post but Bath were 8-0 up within the first ten minutes and the momentum of the game was with them.

And the lead increased as the first quarter came to end. With the Montpellier forwards beginning to build something of a foundation for their backs to work on in the Bath half, a loose pass from Trinh-Duc was gratefully received by Donald who almost took the ball to the opposition line himself before being pulled down. Claassens sent the ball left, and was grounded with clinical technique by that man Flatman in the great tradition of David Barnes.

Even though Monpellier wing Bustos Moyana got the French side on the scoreboard with three points as half time approached, more of the same seemed to be the order of the day for the home side. Half time 13-3.

Bath took the first points of the second half with a Donald penalty. Despite the scoreline, the French side had been gaining in confidence during the first half with an initially stuttering lineout beginning to click and their scrum asking serious questions of the Bath front 5 – a situation not helped by an injury to hooker Ross Batty.

Montpellier brought themselves back into the match in controversial fashion with winger Moyana going over despite a knock on and (as it appeared from the back row of Block D where we miss nothing) a forward pass. Suddenly there was a new spring in the French step and with half an hour remaining Moyana took the last three points of the day and the remainder of the match was a tense contest with a struggling Bath scrum being helped by some excellent territory winning kicking.

Final score 16-13. Or 16-6 to those in the back row of the Block D where nothing is missed. An excellent debut from Stephen Donald who already seems to be forging an effective relationship with the backline. Sometimes it was like watching Butch. With arms. Olly Woodburn continues to impress out on the wing and there seemed to be a major injection of aggression into the forwards. The influence of that man Moody maybe? But our scrum looks fragile and the situation at hooker is a major worry as we go back into the premiership. Where is Dixie?

According to Block D rugby guru Bev, today was ‘OK’. Maybe a bit harsh. Yes, we saw some weaknesses highlighted that will need serious work. But we saw the shape of things to come with a confident start from Stephen Donald, and the welcome return of Olly B late in the second half.

And of course, there’s that man Flatman. Now that he’s started scoring, will he ever stop?

Flats Scores

Discussion started by BathRugbyEre.co.uk , 20/11/2011 20:24

BathRugbyEre.co.uk
20/11/2011 20:24

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:11:23:18:27:42 by Glen The Ed.

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Nerdish Obsessive
20/11/2011 22:49

Ahh, David Flatman, A thinking man's Ricky Gervais....soooo funny!.

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Gareth Redux
21/11/2011 00:33

His sky interview was a comedy classic.

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dragonfly
21/11/2011 15:04

Special mention of Flats's try from SIM

"The try came from 80 metres out, although David was only involved in the last metre. Even so, I'm not sure how he got there," said McGeechan

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Susanne
21/11/2011 15:09

Good point by Geech - I hadn't thought that Flats had to keep up with Beaver's break! Even if he wasn't first on the scene ...

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Clarkey3k
21/11/2011 19:01

I wasn't there so am left wondering did he dive, fall or collapse over the line?

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dragonfly
21/11/2011 19:05

Ball passed to Flats by Hooper: Flats catches ball, looks amazed, pirouettes through a complete 360 degrees and gracefully(?) falls over the line.

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Susanne
21/11/2011 21:20

And was it a generous gesture by Hoops - could he have scored it? Flats was complaining on Twitter that's it's spoilt his after dinner speaking!

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cheekywatson
21/11/2011 21:32

Quote:

Clarkey3k
I wasn't there so am left wondering did he dive, fall or collapse over the line?

He pirouette/collapsed over the line.

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Susanne
21/11/2011 21:50

French highlights here SD's breakaway at 1 minute 10 and Flats score at 1 minute 40.

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Gareth Redux
21/11/2011 22:01

Great work from Ross Batty, he ran up to Claassy, who was obviously shaping to pass right and presumably said go left, there's a 4 on one!!!

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annie blackthorn
21/11/2011 22:41

Incidentally, if you want a smile or two, read David Trick's intro to the game on the Bath Rugby site and his reminiscences of playing the French.

Only for those well over 50 though. Hazard a guess that the rest of you wouldn't know what he was talking about and certainly won't remember Andy Ripley when was in his prime.

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gaz909
22/11/2011 09:01

but why did Hoops pass it out to Flats that was close to being a forward pass and made conversion more difficult?

still good overall and great to see the team spirit from winning

got to sort out restarts

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johnnyf
22/11/2011 10:51

Don't know who was more surprised - Flats at actually receiving a scoring pass or us who were watching in disbelief that he hadn't actually dropped the ball.

Flats no longer a try-scoring virgin !

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Patrick
22/11/2011 13:44

Pics from Sunday's match here if anyone is interested:

Photos from Bath v Montpellier

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ziderman
22/11/2011 16:57

Quote:

Gareth Redux
Great work from Ross Batty, he ran up to Claassy, who was obviously shaping to pass right and presumably said go left, there's a 4 on one!!!

Good spot and a great call by Batty.

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Bod
23/11/2011 10:05

Great photo!

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