Hatley: Key Coach

By P G Tips
March 18 2015

Five games to go and Bath have a toehold in the Play Off positions. In what could be the most competitive finish in Premiership history there are 7 clubs in with a chance of the top 4 places. Northampton stand clear of the rest with a 9 point advantage over Exeter in second and, barring calamity, seem unlikely to be caught. Behind them 5 league points separate the next 5 sides.  The final fixtures are unkind to many of the hopefuls while looking good for Bath, who must face the bottom 5 teams. Hope needs to be tempered though, because Bath’s top 4 props are currently injured. So, what must Bath do to secure a playoff place and, preferably, a home semi?

Field a Front Row Hopefully, Neal Hatley and Toby Booth are holidaying in Georgia this week, running the rule over some inexpensive likely lads who can scrummage like demons. Or perhaps they are on the phone to Dan Lyle in the US or Gary Gold in Western Province? All in search of front row injury cover. If not, until Paul James and Henry Thomas are fit to play, Bath must rely on 4 props only- the absolute minimum for a Premiership or European Cup match – one of them an Academy player. Now is the time for Neal Hatley to prove his worth in gold by husbanding the front row resources to ensure that Bath can continue to rely on one of their key points of strength in the season to date. He will be the key coach over the next month.

Do the Maths – and take Nobody Lightly

To be sure of second place will probably take 70 points, which means winning every match, or picking up at least 2 try bonuses and a losing bonus. The toughest fixture on paper will be the trip to the Stoop to play Harlequins, but Newcastle have rattled Tigers recently and Gloucester, who come to the Rec for the season finale, raced into a big lead 2 weeks ago against champions Northampton, before the Saints fought back for the draw. Every match – even against lowly placed sides, has to be treated both as a potential banana skin and an opportunity to rack up the points.

Manage Resources

There are 4 England squad members due to return to action at the end of the month. They may not be needed to beat London Welsh, but will need to be in the team groove the following week for the Heineken Cup trip to Dublin. What should the coaches do? Rest the men who have provided the England cutting edge this 6 Nations, or play them? My bet is that they will start at the Kassam, but could leave the field early if the match becomes one sided. For the remainder of the fixtures the coaches will need to find a balance between cohesion and the need to rest a few who are tired or carrying niggling injuries.

Rediscover the Try Scoring habit

Tries have been as rare as hen’s teeth in the last 3 AP fixtures. Spring weather should suit the Bath backs who will surely not be as wasteful of clean breaks as England were in the Calcutta Cup. We know what Bath can do and fans will be impatient to see September’s and December’s form restored in March & April. The key could be how the team use Sam Burgess. The lack of tries against Exeter and Sale may not have been his fault, but he has become an obvious target. Let us hope that the coaches are working on ways to spring surprises on defences using Sam, as they did against Montpellier and Wasps.

Find the Devil To finish with a flourish the boys in Blue, Black & White will need to find, and apply some real devil. Devil in the killer instinct which saw off Tigers and Saracens early in the season: in the ruthless forward stranglehold which stifled Quins at the end of November, or the dash that scuppered Toulouse on their patch in January.  Two months and six regular season fixtures: time for the blood-curdling battle cry and the bayonet charge. Time for the final lung busting sprint down the home straight. Time for the unexpected to change a game.

So, what should we expect? Exeter have a much harder run in than Bath, while Leicester and Wasps meet 4 & 3 of their playoff rivals respectively.  Saracens, who have home games against Leicester, Quins and Chiefs must be hopeful. It will be close and could come down to bonus points, but it is doable.

Barring catastrophe, I see Bath finishing in the Top 4. To come second, they will need a little luck, flair and plenty of try bonuses.

Playoff Push

Discussion started by Comeonmylovers.co.uk (IP Logged), 18/03/2015 08:23

Comeonmylovers.co.uk
18/03/2015 08:23

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:03:31:15:32:26 by Stuart Anderton.

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Bathovalballer
18/03/2015 11:53

I would be very happy with a top 4 finish which is going to be hard enough, as I do not think Sarries will let any points go missing and probably will beat Saints in the Final. (I hope not as I sincerely do not like Sarries style of play but do admire their ability to win.)

I still think Exeter will tweak a few noses and can see them getting in the top 4 as well.

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jayeatman
18/03/2015 14:46

Sarries will not win because Bath will beat them in the semi.

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OutsideBath
18/03/2015 14:56

Quote:

jayeatman
Sarries will not win because Bath will beat them in the semi.

We wouldn't beat sarries away from home

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