Homer:Accuracy!

By P G Tips
February 9 2016

“Crisis, what crisis?” might be the view from Farleigh House as Bath mull over their most recent disappointment. That view is not convincing to most supporters, who are showing increasing concern at results and impatience with the performances that generate them. A 6 Nation weekend visit to the team placed just below you in the table may not be the ideal medicine when your ills seem to be as many as they are mysterious. While Bath’s two international fly halves were on national duty last weekend, stand in Dan Bowden struggled in the territorial kicking battle which ultimately gave visitors Gloucester their first AP derby win at the Rec for a few years. Next saturady’s weather is due to be mild, but should Storm Imogen continue her battering, a similar scrappy encounter could be on offer at Sixways on Saturday    

Since ambushing Northampton Saints on the opening weekend, Worcester Warriors have enjoyed only one Premiership win – against bottom side Newcastle Falcons and that at the beginning of November. While they lack the sharpest of cutting edges, Warriors can be hard to beat, especially at home and when they can manipulate their opponents into a wrestling match. They will fancy doing just that against a Bath team who seem to lack confidence, consistency and composure at key moments.

Worcester’s loose forwards – probably Dowson, Cox & vanVelze are all grizzled scrappers and they will be joined by Donncha O’Callaghan, a feisty competitor and two potent tight heads in Schonert & Johnson. Any ball they win in the red zone is likely to be driven, inch by painstaking inch. Good ball won further out could well be kicked by Arr or Heathcote for racing wings Bryce Heem and Cooper Vuna to chase. Behind these two lurks Chris Pennell, only two seasons ago though to be an international candidate at full back. He has the kicking and the counter attacking game to embarrass opponents if given half a yard of space.

Bath can bring their own quality to the contest of course. It is not in the personnel that they have been lacking in their run of seven (mostly close) consecutive defeats.  They know, more than the fans, that they need to get the show back on the road soon and that a win this weekend is essential as the following AP fixtures are against Wasps and high flyers Exeter Chiefs. The much improved lineout and scrum of recent matches needs to be matched with a few more decent driving mauls of the sort which reaped the sole try last Friday.  Greater accuracy is a must in the kicking game – for heaven’s sake find touch and then compete at the lineout! Above all the game needs to be played in opposition territory, to sap the confidence of a side who have been struggling themselves in recent weeks.

Once settled into the club patterns I expect Bowden will prove more influential and his experience will be necessary to bring the best out of what is likely to be a makeshift centre partnership if Eastmond is unfit. Banahan took the battle to Gloucester’s midfield last Friday evening. If he can do that again, providing a target for quick ball, Agulla, Rokodoguni & Homer have the pace and running angles to find the line. Bath showed against London Irish that they can turn up the heat against straggling sides, but they need to earn the right to do that. Whether ugly or pretty, Bath can win this. Ugly will do and may have to if the weather dictates. Only a win will do: otherwise we will be looking at a crisis.

Possible Teams:

Bath: Auterac, Batty, Wilson. Hooper (Capt), Ewels, Garvey, Louw, Houston.
Cook, Bowden, Agulla, Clark, Banahan, Rokodoguni. Homer.

 Replacements:  Lahiff, Webber, Thomas, Day, Fa’osiliva ,Mafi. Matawalu, Jennings,

Worcester: Leleimalefaga, Annett, Schonert, O'Callaghan, Barry, Cox, Dowson (capt), van Velze. Arr, Heathcote. Vuna, Mills, Olivier, Heem. Pennell.

Replacements: Bregvadze, Ruskin, Milasinovich, Cavubati, Mama, Mulchrone, Lamb, Howard.

“Crisis? What Crisis?” Worcester v Bath

Discussion started by Comeonmylovers.co.uk (IP Logged), 09/02/2016 18:31

Comeonmylovers.co.uk
09/02/2016 18:31

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:02:17:17:01:00 by Stuart Anderton.

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timfrombattle
10/02/2016 08:32

I'm hoping thoughts of a Bath win don't turn out to be Sister Moonshine 😉

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