By Ed Scott
November 30 2012

I believe it was April 1994, Bath and Leicester were one and two at the top of the Courage League and the fixture at the Rec was pretty much a winner takes all affair. The game was a sell out and the scene was set for a real hum-dinger! 

This was in a bygone age when the flower pots were still on the east side and were filled on a first come first served basis. At 12 noon (for a 3pm KO), two school friends and I walked out onto the terraces and stood, part way up the stand, dead on the half-way line, and waited.

Gradually we were joined by other supporters as the ground filled to bursting. We were treated to a game low on flair, but high in needle, tension and passion. Eventually the great Tony Swift went over in the far right hand corner of the ground at the Sports Centre end, only to be held up on his back by one Martin Johnson. Suddenly a prop was there, who else but the rapid Victor Ubogu who bundled into them and rolled Swifty onto his front to score. The crowd went mad. The game was won.

The detail that I’ve missed out, is that it had been raining that day, all day, very heavily. I was so wet that I had to sit on newspaper in the car on the way home (my Dad was a West Stand ticket holder, so he was dry!) and when home was shoved into a hot Bath by my Mum to try and thaw me out!

Was she mad with my Dad? Mad with me for standing out there so early? No. Why? Because she understood what the game meant to me, what it meant to everyone. In fact the wins and losses to Leicester over the years are probably the ones that stick in my memory more than anything else - they are just extra special games.

Although possibly no longer the biggest event in domestic rugby that it once was, Bath versus Leicester to those involved is still a game that gets the pulses going, and this weekend is no different. Irrespective of where everyone is in the table, I believe taking the Tigers on at Welford road is still the biggest test this Bath side will face in the competition.

The stats don’t bode well when you look at Bath’s away form against Leicester, with it being nine years since we recorded a victory there in the Premiership. Honours were even last season home and away, but we faced a depleted Tigers squad at the Rec and were quite frankly lucky to win the game. Add to that the loss in the LV Semi-Final to a second string team, as well as Bath’s poor away form this season, and the odds sit very much in favour of the home side.

With this weekend falling outside of the International window, only those playing for England on Saturday are unavailable for the fixture. This means that Bath welcome the return of two star players so far this season in the form of Paul James and Francois Louw. Ex-Tiger Horacio Agulla makes his first competitive start for the club after recovering from a concussion whilst playing for Argentina, and Tom Biggs who has been released from his first England squad call up is also available.

Leicester also welcome the return of Martin Castrogiovani and Marcos Ayerza, who will significantly boost their front row resources. In fact Bath will be very glad that Paul James has recovered from the knock that forced him off for Wales last weekend, as I believe we will really need his solidity in the scrum. Thomas Waldrom has also been deemed surplus to requirements by Stuart Lancaster, with England’s loss definitely Leicester’s gain.

In possession of an exceptional back-row and a plethora of choices at lock, the Leicester pack will be a force to be reckoned with on Saturday. With Davey Wilson with England as well as Fearns and Skirving injured, the likes of Perenise and Mercer will once again be required to step up a level to match the ferocity of the Tigers forwards.

It’s at half back and potentially the back three where Bath stand a chance of gaining an edge in this game.  Although an exciting prospect, George Ford hasn’t played a huge amount of rugby this season and had an indifferent game against Wasps last Sunday. Sam Harrison is also an inexperienced nine and both could be susceptible to the pressure from the home crowd as well as their more experienced opposite numbers. I would imagine that Bath will send Banahan down Ford’s channel as early as possible in order to try and unsettle him.

I genuinely believe that Bath stand a chance in this game, but like last Friday against Harlequins, they are going to have to play out of their skins if they are going to even get close to victory. I’ve a feeling it’s not going to be pretty, but I don’t think either team will care about that if they’ve got a win against the old enemy in their back pocket.

Match Preview - Some Things Never Change

Discussion started by Comeonmylovers.co.uk (IP Logged), 30/11/2012 13:19

Comeonmylovers.co.uk
30/11/2012 13:19

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:02:19:12:54 by TCM2007.

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Susanne
30/11/2012 14:28

Great read- thanks Ed.

I really hope confidence and skillsare high enough to get the win at Welford Road for the first time in ?? years!

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