Matawalu: bursts?

By P G Tips
October 20 2015

  Bath are getting used to tough starts to their seasons. Last year early fixtures included Tigers, Saints & Sarries –all 2014 top 3 teams - in quick succession. This year the start is not quite as daunting, but still pits Bath against two sides who gave them tense tussles last year. After Exeter snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, next up are Wasps who featured in 2 of Bath’s most bizarre games last season. In each match the home team seemed to have an unassailable lead going into the last 20 minutes –only to see it truly assailed by an almost unbelievable comeback. So what should we expect at the Ricoh on Saturday? If last weekend is a guide, Bath could be favourites. Despite scoring first and a late comeback, Wasps went down to old rivals Quins, in a showing that has caused some angry buzzing in the Coventry nest. Some fans question the passion of the team and have branded the display clueless, imprecise and clumsy. Meanwhile, Bath’s luck and defence held out at the Rec, the pack showed impressive scrum control and George Ford kicked his goals. Season openers though are not always a reliable guide.

After the disappointment of their Stoop failure, Wasps players will be smarting as much as their fans. Dai Young has put some steel in them since the bleak basement days of 2012 when bankruptcy & relegation loomed equally large. Last year he had them scrumming like an old school side from the valleys and he forged one of the most formidable breakaway trios in the Premiership in Haskell, Hughes and Johnson. The latter has now moved up to hooker, giving them an extra option on the carry and in turnover and is replaced by George Smith a wily veteran concentrating now on club rugby alone.

Among Wasps returning World Cup players, Launchbury was one of England’s few successful forwards and Haskell’s disappointing tournament should be plentiful motivation for a revival in form. Backing them up are 4 Englishmen with a point to prove: Mullan and Daly jettisoned from the squad before the warm up matches while Simpson and Wade did not even get that far – all will want to impress. Cittadini, Festuccia and Davies bring additional experience in the pack, while there is a fascinating choice to be made at half back between Simpson & Robson, Gopperth & Jackson.

Expect Young to whip Wasps forwards into a frenzy of ferocity. They are likely to attack Bath on all fronts in their first home AP match of the season –at scrum, breakdown and in the carry, but most particularly at the lineout where Bath are perceived to be vulnerable. Quick ball at any phase could unleash a runner from scrum half or a burst up the middle from a direct runner such as Jacobs or Masi. Good recycle would then allow the option of a charge by one of the big men or the wider option of speedsters Daly, Wade or Miller. If Wasps are allowed to get their tails up they will opt for an all action attacking approach with plenty of pace and width on the ball.

So, how should Bath respond? Well, discipline for a start. Defensive discipline held against Chiefs, but only on the back of two yellow cards –which might have proven more costly. At Adams Park last year Bath gave away three, plus a penalty try – these buried hopes of a win before the fightback even started. Neal Hatley will target the scrum as a point of strength and Bath should pressure the Wasps here for the full 80. The lineout needs to be simplified to cut out errors and to provide the platform for the driving maul. Then there is kicking. George Ford got his team into the right parts of the pitch last Saturday and kicked all the vital goals. Another bravura performance will be needed this weekend.

And what of the wide channels? That, in part, depends on who is available. Hopefully, Joseph or Devoto will be fit to release Banahan to the wing where he can play the stronger hand. Although chances were few last week, Bath have three of the most potent AP finishers in Banners, Roko and Watson and should use them –either from ball in hand, or on the end of Ford’s kicking. Matawalu, who played an orthodox game last week might be given his head too – his bursts from scrum base could turn a defence to create havoc.

Bath have their own World Cup returners who will be raring for action in Dom Day & Rhys Priestland. Perhaps they can provide an edge of hunger to a squad who in Mike Ford’s words beat the Chiefs despite “playing poorly really”. This is a key match deserving as strong a selection as Bath can muster

This early in the season it is hard to predict who will come out on top, but it should be an open, incident packed game. With Watson, Rokodoguni and Ford in form it could be the visitors who have the sting in their tail. If they can win enough good ball, Bath should squeeze through – but it will be close.

Possible Teams:
Bath: Auterac, Batty, Thomas, Hooper (Capt), Attwood, Garvey, Fa’osiliva, Houston. Cook, Ford. Watson, Eastmond, Devoto, Rokodoguni. Homer Replacements:   Lahiff, Webber, Wilson, Day, Burgess, Matawalu, Priestland, Banahan

Wasps: Mullan(c) Johnson, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Davies, Launchbury, Haskell, Smith, Hughes. Simpson, Jackson. Tagicakibau, Jacobs, Daly, Wade. MillerReplacements: Festuccia, McIntyre, Swainston, Gaskell, Jones. Robson, Gopperth, Masi

Sting in The Tail: Wasps v Bath 24 October

Discussion started by Comeonmylovers.co.uk (IP Logged), 21/10/2015 09:09

Comeonmylovers.co.uk
21/10/2015 09:09

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:10:28:13:03:23 by Stuart Anderton.

Reply Quote Report

P G Tips
21/10/2015 14:50

Officials:

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys. (5th Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: Roger Baileff & Peter Allan. TMO: David Grashoff

Read more at [www.premiershiprugby.com]

PG

Reply Quote Report

Quel Carreleur
21/10/2015 16:05

Just wanted to come on and say that, although I tend to only skim read these articles; that I really appreciate the effort made by those who right them, and keep the site alive.

A man who cannot change his mind, cannot change anything

RAEBURN SHIELD

Reply Quote Report

Clarkey3k
21/10/2015 19:14

I shall be there on Saturday, my Wasps mate expects c20,000 @ the Ricoh & a lively welcome for us. I think we are two evenly matched sides but home advantage will tip the balance in their favour and we earn a LBP. Happy to be proved wrong at 4pm on Sat...

Adopted players: 24/25 J Bayliss; [24] O Lawrence; [23] J Cokanasiga; [22] M Green; [21] A Watson; [20] T Faletau; [19] M V Vuuren; [18] T Faletau; [17] D Denton; [16] H. Agulla; [15] L Houston; [14] W Spencer; [13] F. Louw

Family . Community . Nation - [sdp.org.uk]

My mind's been going places without me lately - Bushfire The B52's

Reply Quote Report

Raggs
22/10/2015 11:51

Ticket sales certainly don't look like 20k going by the interactive graphic .

Surprised the writer mentions Masi a few times, seeing as he got a basically season ending injury playing for Italy.

Still a nice article and good job

Reply Quote Report

P G Tips
22/10/2015 12:50

Thanks for correcting me Raggs.


PG

Reply Quote Report

Vespulavulgaris
22/10/2015 14:23

That's a great article, and written very objectively. My head says it's going to be a close one, my heart says that We (Wasps) will probably find a way to lose a game we should win.

Reply Quote Report

ukms
22/10/2015 16:58

A great read ! ..... thanks very much .... looking fwd to it, should be close and I hope a few of you guys can make it up to the Ricoh !

Reply Quote Report

Widcombe boy
22/10/2015 20:30

Yet another cracker PG Tips! Well done

Reply Quote Report

P G Tips
23/10/2015 15:11

Thanks Guys for the positive comments.


PG

Reply Quote Report

Clarkey3k
27/10/2015 18:06

Quote:

Raggs
Ticket sales certainly don't look like 20k going by the interactive graphic .

How right you were, only 10,093 in the end. It felt a lot like the Madstad which was disappointing.

Adopted players: 24/25 J Bayliss; [24] O Lawrence; [23] J Cokanasiga; [22] M Green; [21] A Watson; [20] T Faletau; [19] M V Vuuren; [18] T Faletau; [17] D Denton; [16] H. Agulla; [15] L Houston; [14] W Spencer; [13] F. Louw

Family . Community . Nation - [sdp.org.uk]

My mind's been going places without me lately - Bushfire The B52's

Reply Quote Report

Raggs
28/10/2015 07:00

Hopefully the Euro fixture will do better. Opening game is often low attendance, and we should have Piutau around for that too.

Reply Quote Report

Clarkey3k
28/10/2015 11:19

Will be interested to see turnout for the local derbies' with Saints & Tigers, should be 20-30k which will provide a much better atmosphere than last Saturday. Bath's efforts to build a 16k stadium seems wrong to me given developments at Glaws, Saints & Tigers...

Adopted players: 24/25 J Bayliss; [24] O Lawrence; [23] J Cokanasiga; [22] M Green; [21] A Watson; [20] T Faletau; [19] M V Vuuren; [18] T Faletau; [17] D Denton; [16] H. Agulla; [15] L Houston; [14] W Spencer; [13] F. Louw

Family . Community . Nation - [sdp.org.uk]

My mind's been going places without me lately - Bushfire The B52's

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net