Roko leave Sale trailing

By PG Tips
March 26 2014

What a difference a week makes! Bath got their winning mojo back with a bang, with George Ford named Man of the Round by Lawrence Dallaglio on BT Sport. Quins fell off the pace, beaten by Sarries with no bonus point, so trail in the chase for a playoff place, but Leicester proved – as they so often do, that they can fire on all cylinders at the business end of the season.

Sale, though, turned in the shock of the round – defeating Northampton, denying them both a bonus point and a try. They now have realistic ambitions and a chance of a playoff place: to secure one they must beat three teams currently placed above them in the AP, starting with Bath at the Rec on Friday night.

Sale, one of only 3 sides to beat Bath in the Premiership this season, could be peaking at just the right time. After an inconsistent start which included an early loss to Newcastle at home, they have grown stronger since Christmas – losing only to Leicester & Saracens. Their last three results suggest that they are on the up and, ominously for Bath, they dominated the breakdown – in the first half at least – against Saints, much as they thwarted Bath in this phase in September.

Ironically, as grounds are getting dryer and firmer late in the season many teams are finding their scrummaging is improving as significantly as their back play. Sale will count themselves in this group – with several gnarled operators in their front five. Backed by a predatory back row, they will give Bath a stern test up front.

Behind the pack, Danny Cipriani has recovered from his training collision with a Leeds bus to boss games in a style that has some pundits pressing his claims to overtake Freddie Burns and win a place on England’s summer tour to New Zealand. Their view is based on his new found approach to the role –playing the percentages with tactical kicking and well- timed passing, rather than the slashing breaks of his Wasps days. There is little doubt that the new style Cipriani is a potent weapon for Sale: his task to bring the best out of two direct running centres and Mark Cueto, whose zest for the game and nose for the tryline is enjoying an Indian summer.

With these threats to face, Bath will rue the injury to Francois Louw, who would normally be expected to boss the breakdown battle and to keep Cipriani quiet. Guy Mercer was a busy pest against Irish when he replaced Louw last Saturday-Friday could mean a start for him in a like for like match up against David Seymour. Another choice would be the return of Carl Fearns, but he may have to wait his turn from the bench. Openside apart, I do not expect many personnel changes, or departures from the game plan. Sale will be travelling south on a Friday night, the boot on the other foot for their supporters, so it will be interesting to see how many make the trip. Rain is expected, but not torrents. I foresee a tough encounter, decided by home advantage and Bath’s backs. Bath by 5.

Possible teams:

Bath:
James, Batty, Wilson, Hooper, Attwood, Garvey, Mercer, Houston, Stringer, Ford, Rokoduguni, Devoto, Eastmond, Watson, Abendanon
Bench: Catt, Guinazou, Perenise, Day,  Fearns, Young, Henson, Agulla,

Sale Sharks: Lewis-Roberts, Jones, Cobilas; Mills, Paterson; Braid, Seymour, Gaskell. Peel, Cipriani, Cueto, Tuitupou, Leota, Brady, Arscott Replacements: Croall, Harrison, Thomas, Ostrikov, Easter, Cliff, Ford, Miller. 

Match Preview: Opportunity for Sale - Playoff for Grabs

Discussion started by PG Tips (IP Logged), 26/03/2014 12:26

PG Tips
26/03/2014 12:26

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014:04:02:20:59:25 by TCM2007.

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Puxonian
26/03/2014 12:49

Good preview PG

If Louw's definitely out I agree we could have a big problem. Fearns isn't a 7 and Mercer hasn't shown anything to me that suggests he should start in a game of this importance

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