Bath
Keep the Faith: Bath v Saracens -ADD TEAM HERE
Mercer: industry
By P G Tips
March 7 2019
Having surrendered to Quins in the last minute on Saturday Bath must keep the faith on Friday against Saracens. Not necessarily with the game plan, but the self - belief essential to recover from a string of mishaps – a self- belief seemingly absent in 3 of the past 4 Premiership ties. Saracens visit as firm favourites for a bonus point win- while for Bath faith is unlikely to be enough. To win they will probably need to conjure up a miracle – will they have a prayer?
The visitors rise 10 years ago was built on a style of play dubbed heresy by many critics, derided as “anti-rugby” of kick and chase, defence, goal kicking and opportunism. That has now evolved into a much more rounded fifteen- man game. Last Saturday, against Northampton Saints they showed ample evidence of positive play, racking up 6 tries despite missing 8 internationals. Those they were able to select did include 7 international starters, plus 4 more on the bench and Bath fans should expect a similarly strong squad again. Men to watch up front will be Koch, Skelton, Isiekwe, Burger and Clark. Behind the scrum either Spencer or Wigglesworth will help the wily Goode to pull the strings, Barritt will provide midfield thrust and leadership while out wide they have the pace of Maitland and Strettle to call on. Add to these the highly impressive Wray, Malins and Gallagher and Bath really do look up against it.
In contrast to Saracens, Bath’s strength in depth is still being tested by injury and there will be anxious waits for medical reports and international selections. Louw and Burns both took knocks against Quins and may not feature. Louw’s injury is particularly telling as Bath face another back row injury crisis- Underhill, Ellis, Faletau and Bayliss are all unavailable so Michael Van Vuuren may be pressed into service as an emergency flanker. The welcome return of Jonathon Joseph from England duty is also offset by Eddie retaining Charlie Ewels as cover for Maro Itoje.
So, it may be back to the drawing board for team selection. It could be tempting to do the same with tactics, although the 6- day turnaround offers little time for a radical overhaul. Rather than change the style of play, I expect the coaches to stick with it, but they must eradicate the, ill- discipline, unforced errors and lack of concentration that have given up leads in the last minute in 3 of the last 4 Premiership matches.
Positives for Bath against Quins were the durability of the front row, the industry and penetration of Mercer and (until the final minute) lineout control of the locks. Bath will look for more of the same on Friday but they should beware too much obsession with close quarter pick and drive. The patience that brought Nathan Catt’s try at the weekend could be unpicked by a streetwise Saracens pack. Breaks by the backs, especially Homer and McConnochie seem more likely to open the visitors’ defence, but that will require swifter distribution and better control by the halfbacks.
On the few occasions in recent years when Bath have beaten Saracens, they have enjoyed a full, or near full strength team. To expect a home win on Friday would be a leap of faith, but defeat could see Bath drop as low as 9th or 10th – the crisis zone. The players must keep the faith, but also need to deliver a performance and go all out for an unlikely miracle.
Possible Teams:
Bath: Catt, Dunn, Thomas, Attwood, Stooke, Grant, Reid, Mercer. Chudley (Capt.), Priestland, Vuna, Roberts, Joseph, McConnochie. Homer.
Replacements: Obano, Batty Perenise, Douglas, V Vuuren Cook, Burns, Willison.
Saracens:
Barrington, Woolstencroft, Judge, Skelton, Isiekwe, Clark, Earl, Wray.
Spencer, Goode. Maitland, Baritt (capt.), Tompkins, Strettle. Malins.
Replacements: Gray, Lamositele, Koch, Kpoku, Burger, Wigglesworth, Lozowski, Gallagher.
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07/03/2019 08:41
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2019:03:20:08:07:02 by P G Tips.
15. Tom Homer
14. Jack Wilson
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Jackson Willison
11. Ruaridh McConnochie
10. Rhys Priestland
9. Will Chudley (c)
1. Nathan Catt
2. Tom Dunn
3. Henry Thomas
4. Dave Attwood
5. Levi Douglas
6. Elliott Stooke
7. Miles Reid
8. Zach Mercer
Replacements
16. Ross Batty
17. Beno Obano
18. Anthony Perenise
19. Jack Davies
20. Tom Ellis
21. Kahn Fotuali’i
22. Freddie Burns
23. Max Clark
1. Richard Barrington (159)
2. Tom Woolstencroft (16)
3. Vincent Koch (57)
4. Will Skelton (50)
5. Nick Isiekwe (53)
6. Mike Rhodes (86)
7. Schalk Burger (69)
8. Jackson Wray (217)
15. Max Malins (25)
14. David Strettle (149)
13. Nick Tompkins (90)
12. Alex Lozowski (81)
11. Alex Lewington (20)
10. Alex Goode (282)
9. Ben Spencer (147).
Backs numbers assumed as they listed it all wrong.
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Joe Gray (5)
17. Titi Lamositele (67)
18. Christian Judge (14)
19. Dom Day (28)
20. Ben Earl (33)
21. Tom Whiteley (23)
22. Marcelo Bosch (128)
23. Matt Gallagher (29)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:03:07:12:13:44 by Rawce.
Injuries have affected us.
Hope Willison goes well, like how he stands at first receiver. Tackles well. If he gels with JJ they should have a great dynamic.
Also, wasn't Charlie's Wheels released by England? Or his he travelling reserve reserve?
15 first team players unavailable for various reasons - that's 33% of the squad.
Miles Reid v Schalk Burger on the openside is some baptism for the young lad.
Odds on Alex Goode being man of the match?
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
Quote:hemington
Good to see Ellis is back in the reckoning
Yes definitely , but where is James Wilson ?
Adopted Player 2018/19 Ross Batty
Adopted Player 2019/20 Jack Davies
Adopted Player 2020/21 Cam Redpath
Adopted Player 2021/22 Darren Atkins
Adopted Player 2022/23 Gabriel Hamer-Webb
Adopted Player 2023/24 Tom Carr-Smith
Adopted Player 2024/25 Max Ojomoh
"AN OUNCE OF ACTION IS WORTH A TON OF THEORY"
FRIEDRICH ENGELS
No mention that Grant is unfit. I must be honest, I rate him but I can't remember him doing very much last week. Miles Reid was more visible.
Quote:FourSticks
Well, with that team at least we're unlikely to lose the match in the last play of the game.
That is one consolation as you rightly say
Quote:hasta
Nice to see we're all prepped for the inevitable Alex Goode MOTM performance.
Yeah! But! Defensively he’s really suspect! His positioning is terrible! Forget his great hands, flat passes of both hands, elusive running, high ball defuses and game management ability because sometimes he’s not where he needs to be defensively...
So there... we win...
Quote:BathBurgerQuote:hasta
Nice to see we're all prepped for the inevitable Alex Goode MOTM performance.
Yeah! But! Defensively he’s really suspect! His positioning is terrible! Forget his great hands, flat passes of both hands, elusive running, high ball defuses and game management ability because sometimes he’s not where he needs to be defensively...
So there... we win...
Yeah! But!.....He won't have to do much defending.
So there... we lose (heavily)..
Looking forward to the game tomorrow. Appreciate that you guys have some disrupting injuries but I still expect us to be playing a very motivated team. Best of luck.
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
Quote:BathMatt53
Is Chris Cook injured? Signs a new contract and that’s the last we see of him!
Yes I think so, I'm basing that on his instagram where he posted something about doing rehab not too long ago.
With all our injuries it looks like it'll be a very long night.
Mind you, they are also playing a 15 (Goode) at fly Half.
Quote:SarrieSaint
Good preview P G Tips.
Looking forward to the game tomorrow. Appreciate that you guys have some disrupting injuries but I still expect us to be playing a very motivated team. Best of luck.
Sarries haven't won at the Rec for a fair while, so I'm fully expecting a motivated Sarries team. Should be quite a good contest, best of luck.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:03:08:06:48:28 by Bath Hammer.
We persist in chucking the starting 10 shirt to a player we have openly said is not good enough to be a 10 for us next year
This game will require serious pull on serious mental belief, total physical effort and focus to last whistle with zero error
Far from being over our season starts here is the message I would want players to get
Quote:TomReagan
At the risk of tempting fate, it's rare that we're thumped by anyone, especially at the Rec. If we're miles better than a side on the day we stop playing and let them back into it, but conversely tend to battle hard to stay in touch when we're up against it. It's why that win against Falcons recently made such a welcome change, with no nail-biting ending. I don't think there'll be more than 8 points in it either way...
I was pleasantly surprised when I looked back through the Bath v Saracens archive. 5 wins and 5 losses at the Rec over the past 10 years. Unfortunately I remember the 22-0 loss back in 2012-2013 much more vividly than I remember the 66-21 trouncing (win) in 2008-2009.
Really can't see us getting anything out of tonight and I'm struggling to find the enthusiasm to trek into Bath and watch us get humped. Can't remember when I last thought that ... way to go boys, you really are creating a season that will live on in our memories for all the wrong reasons.
Quote:Boldangrey
Interesting to see Sarries are also playing a 10 (Malins) at FB.
Mind you, they are also playing a 15 (Goode) at fly Half.
We did this last week.... Caused all sorts of mutterings on the terraces... But worked out quite well, played a more open running game.. although that could have been because of the strong wind.
Anyway looking forward to a decent game ...
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Quote:Beergoggles
way to go boys, you really are creating a season that will live on in our memories for all the wrong reasons.
The whole Blackadder era, not just this season.
Last year we played some of the worst rugby I've ever seen, barely touching the ball, spending most games defending, barely scoring any tries but at least we snuck a few wins here and there. This year we're not up to much with the increased possession and we're losing tons of games.
What a waste of three years.
Quote:Victor Ludorum
My over-optimistic 'predictions' have been consistently rubbish this season, but on the basis that even a broken clock is right twice a day I'm going for Bath by 1 (having been 15 up at half-time)!
I'll take it. Where do I sign ?
Quote:Victor Ludorum
My over-optimistic 'predictions' have been consistently rubbish this season, but on the basis that even a broken clock is right twice a day I'm going for Bath by 1 (having been 15 up at half-time)!
Fixed it for you!
My over-optimistic 'predictions' have been consistently rubbish this season, but on the basis that even a broken clock is right twice a day I'm going for Bath by 1 (having been 15 up with 5 minutes to go.)!
Quote:dannyf2
Goode played 10 at grade level for England. 16s & 18s I think.
Goode is 100-1 to get 2 tries tonight with SkyBet. Based on how he plays against Bath it has to be worth Ł1 cup deposit I would have thought...in fact that's what I have just done.
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:03:08:15:19:31 by BathMatt53.
Quote:shipwreckedQuote:Victor Ludorum
My over-optimistic 'predictions' have been consistently rubbish this season, but on the basis that even a broken clock is right twice a day I'm going for Bath by 1 (having been 15 up at half-time)!
Fixed it for you!
My over-optimistic 'predictions' have been consistently rubbish this season, but on the basis that even a broken clock is right twice a day I'm going for Bath by 1 (having been 15 up with 5 minutes to go.)!
Assuming Bath haven't lost by half time I think it more likely Bath to lose by 13 having been 1pt up with 10mins to go.
Also stuck Ł10 on JJ to get two at 28/1 to make myself feel less of a turn coat.
Hoping for a high scoring game (weather not looking good...).
Quote:Agree, not just this season !ballsoutQuote:Beergoggles
way to go boys, you really are creating a season that will live on in our memories for all the wrong reasons.
The whole Blackadder era, not just this season.
Last year we played some of the worst rugby I've ever seen, barely touching the ball, spending most games defending, barely scoring any tries but at least we snuck a few wins here and there. This year we're not up to much with the increased possession and we're losing tons of games.
What a waste of three years.
Adopted Player 2018/19 Ross Batty
Adopted Player 2019/20 Jack Davies
Adopted Player 2020/21 Cam Redpath
Adopted Player 2021/22 Darren Atkins
Adopted Player 2022/23 Gabriel Hamer-Webb
Adopted Player 2023/24 Tom Carr-Smith
Adopted Player 2024/25 Max Ojomoh
"AN OUNCE OF ACTION IS WORTH A TON OF THEORY"
FRIEDRICH ENGELS
Quote:dr.bath1865
Also stuck Ł10 on JJ to get two at 28/1 to make myself feel less of a turn coat.
Yes I'm hoping for Bath 30: sarries 10 (2 Goode scores, unconverted) as I have also put a fiver on a Bath win just so I don't feel quite so like a weasel.
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
Quote:ballsout
Sarries haven't won at the Rec for a fair while, so I'm fully expecting a motivated Sarries team.
I know. Last game I went to was the one Rokoduguni scored twice at the end. Went from a win, to a LBP to nothing in 5 minutes or so!
Quote:dannyf2
Goode played 10 at grade level for England. 16s & 18s I think.
... and switched to FB by one E Jones Esq. Does anyone know what happened to him?
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