Sam Burgess

By P G Tips
June 4 2014

This is a time of mixed feelings for Bath fans in off season No man’s Land. A look back shows a season of progress but ultimately frustrated hopes. For some the look forward is optimism for further gains next season. Others will be anxious that the chances not seized this year will be harder to grasp next campaign.

Owner, coaches and players are ambitious and will be thinking through their plans to improve. It is fun to speculate, so let’s consider a possible 5 Point Improvement Plan for the 2014-15 season.

1. Goalkicking

A strategy is needed to maximise goal kicking success and to offer an alternative to the highly successful, but occasionally fallible George Ford. Preferably the alternative kicker should already be featuring in the team, so that the team balance does not have to be disrupted late in a match solely to introduce a goal specialist. Gavin Henson has his supporters but is only 4^th choice centre and has been only sparingly used in other positions. It is to be hoped that the coaches have a wild card up their sleeve. In this context, the departure of Tom Heathcote seems to add to an already known difficulty. Maybe Ollie Devoto or Kyle Eastmond can add an additional option at some stage next campaign?

2. Gain-line strategy

Most clubs use a direct physical approach to cross the gain line, based either on a physically imposing centre or forward punching holes close to the breakdown. Bath rely more than most on slick handling and well- judged midfield running angles. Northampton- the most penetrative of the leading sides can create a break close to the set piece, up the middle or even on a narrow blindside –using varied options in both players and moves. Perhaps Bath can build on their already successful rolling maul and develop a variety of breaks from it? Wherever he plays, Sam Burgess looks likely to have a key role here, with his strength, bulk and offload skills.
3.    Beef Up The Pack

At its best, Bath’s pack is a match for all other AP eights, but seems highly reliant on a few key members. The absence of any 2 of Webber, Garvey, Houston or Louw seems to take some of the edge off. Wilson, Webber and Attwood could all be missing for Autumn & Six Nations internationals and some rotation is going to be needed if these players are to reach the season’s end in prime condition to contest playoffs. Henry Thomas and Sam Burgess are the new signings most likely to feature, but I can see key parts to be played in some games by Kane Palma Newport and David Sisi in the season to come, as well as a possible move to lock for Matt Garvey.

4. Game Plan B

The dreaded P word: Pragmatism. The 2 teams who have scored the most tries and led the table all season – Saints & Saracens, choose their moment and their place to play the rugby. Bath started last season with a highly effective possession and territory strategy, but this was soon replaced by a more expansive running game. To beat the best defences both will be needed, with an ability to switch readily from one to the other in response to the opposition defence. Over reliance on George Ford is not confined to goal kicking and even in the expansive game plan, ploys need to be defined that can get the team on the front foot when he is being closed down. The arrival of Luke Arscott offers another attacking full back, so we can expect counter attack from deep to feature again as it did last term.

5. Durability

Bath’s last AP campaign began to fade just as other clubs found their second wind. Leicester and Harlequins were able to overtake Bath in the battle for playoff spots while Sale’s late surge cost Bath a home defeat and 3 points which would have placed them clear of Quins before the fateful final day. There is no legislating for luck or unexpected injury, but Bath did not seem as confident last season of their strength in depth as some other clubs. Some of the cameo performances by squad players should surely give confidence that they can step in when needed, in selected fixtures?

Missing out on the play offs by a whisker shows that Bath have the quality to achieve next season, but to stand still would be folly. I am sure the coaches are working out the pillars of their way ahead. Maybe they have some of the same ideas in mind?

Maybe you do – or have a totally different view? Please let us know.

Next Season: A 5 Point Plan?

Discussion started by Comeonmylovers.co.uk (IP Logged), 04/06/2014 23:29

Comeonmylovers.co.uk
04/06/2014 23:29

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:06:10:23:10:32 by Stuart Anderton.

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hasta
04/06/2014 23:44

Five points to focus on:

Restarts
Lineouts
Fitness
Precision
Intensity

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Bri
05/06/2014 07:25

Fitness was good for me.
Lineouts not so good.
Restarts a shambles.
We have made a massive leap forward let's hope it continues.

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gloucesterwatcher
05/06/2014 10:36

Lineout.
Winning restarts/collisions.
Contact area management.
Playing the officials.
Optimising squad to play 90 minutes.

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TCM2007
05/06/2014 15:27

For me it's about skills - passing and kicking in particular, line outs too. Our % completion of ambitious-but-not-mad stuff is far too low compared to Saints, Sarries and Quins. Fix those pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves.

Stuart

Former ed.

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Never In Doubt
05/06/2014 16:46

Line Out
Kick Chase
Gain line physicality
Restarts
Bullying in the tackle ...... knock 'em over.

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Bathovalballer
05/06/2014 21:22

I agree Never in doubt. We need to be more physical and 'boss' teams and control games.

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Optimist
06/06/2014 10:46

An improvement on our drop-goal strategy?

Currently:

a/ try to score a try
b/ run out of options
c/ have a panicky stab
d/ look bewildered and cross

Maybe in future:

a/ try to score a try
b/ try to win a penalty
c/ pack leader, scrum-half, fly-half have a signal meaning 'revert to DG', with a known optimum range/position
d adopt position, strike

or, in short:

a/ Spend summer watching footage of Jonny Wilkinson

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P G Tips
06/06/2014 10:55

Optimist - completely agree.

DG is a team responsibility, not just the halfbacks as "Zigzag" proved on 22 November 2013.

You caught me out- I should have included it!


PG

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Bri
06/06/2014 11:25

I agree don't let GF decide.

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hasta
06/06/2014 11:36

2003, PG Tips!

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P G Tips
06/06/2014 12:41

Yes Hasta - typed in haste!

it is still fresh in the memory though!

PG

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johnnyf
10/06/2014 16:48

I think that the element that finally did for us at the end was pure Stamina.

The down-side of a young squad is that they do not have the base ability to sustain the intense effort required over such a long campaign.

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P G Tips
10/06/2014 18:06

Agreed Johnnyf

that's what I was getting at in my 5th point.


PG

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