By Glen Leat
April 29 2004

Bath travel to The Stoop on Sunday to play Harlequins, in what is their third televised match in a row, hoping it will be third time lucky after losses against Northampton and Montferrand. A win at Quins is just what the League leaders need to kick-start the final run in to the Championship.

After announcing Matt Perry's extension to his contract earlier this week, which is great news for the club, player and supporters, John Connolly and his coaching team will be looking to England's most capped full-back to help his fellow backs regain their confidence and start scoring tries. Matt is a firm favourite with the "faithful" and his contract extension was just the news everyone needed. But Perry's position isn't the area to worry about at present, instead the question on everyone's lips is, "Will Mike Catt play, and if he does, in what position?"

The problem for anyone trying to predict what the Bath line-up will look like against Harlequins is understanding the vulnerability of Catty's hamstrings and calves: can they get him through a rigorous training session and can they last all or part of a match? Also, if he is fit, should Catty start the game at fly-half or inside centre? Mike Catt has many supporters at Bath who want the club to keep him for another season: whether you are a "Catt For Ever" person or not, most people just want Catty to wave a magic wand over Bath Rugby for the next two or three matches.

Olly Barkley is struggling at present but he isn't just the future of Bath Rugby, he's the present and I believe he should be our first choice fly-half with Catty (if fit) standing just inside to offer the extra support our young lad needs to regain his composure. Replacing Barkley with a brilliant, but very vulnerable, Catty is not the answer and I believe the coaches know this.

The forwards struggled for the first time last week, perhaps because they are trying too hard or feel they have to bear the burden of an out of sorts set of backs. These forwards are a class outfit and will soon put a poor performance behind them and get back to the solidity we have enjoyed all season, unfortunately a series of injuries have arrived at the Bath dressing room door: Michael Lipman is unlikely to play this game and Bath have recalled Alex Clarke from a loan spell at Bristol as cover for props Duncan Bell and David Flatman who are both rated 50/50 for Sunday's game, so Clarke is on stand-by. 

Harlequins make just one change to the starting line up that qualified for the Final of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup last weekend against Connacht,
when they bring Bill Davison into the second row to replace Karl Rudzki.There are two players who will be fitness tested on Saturday, otherwise just Ace Tiatia (ankle), Roy Winters (Shoulder) and Tani Fuga (suspension)
are unavailable this Sunday.

"This is a huge game for both teams" Harlequins Chief Executive Mark Evans. "For us it is important that we qualify for the Wild Card Play Offs by
finishing in the best position possible in the Zurich Premiership, which if we were to win our two remaining games would be fifth position. Bath, will be looking to maintain their position at the top of the table to ensure that they qualify for the Zurich Championship final without having to play in the semi final against either Northampton or Gloucester. After the hard fought game we had against Connacht last weekend, we are looking forward to playing in front of a sell out crowd at The Stoop, and it will be especially pertinent for Bill Davison who has been at Quins for ten years and this may be his last game at The Stoop. I am sure it will
be a tremendous battle against a very good Bath team, we are looking forward to it enormously".

Click here to read about the encounter between Bath and Harlequins earlier in the year.

Click on to the Harlequins site for their perspective on things.

Click here to see the latest league table.

Possible Bath Line Up

15 Matt Perry, 14 Wylie Human, 13 Robbie Fleck, 12 Mike Catt/Kevin Maggs, 11 Simon Danielli; 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Martyn Wood; 1 David Barnes/David Flatman, 2 Jonathan Humphreys, 3 Duncan Bell/Alex Clarke, 4 Steve Borthwick, 5 Danny Grewcock; 6 Andy Beattie, 7 James Scaysbrook,  8 Zak Feaunati
Replacements:
Ross Blake, Lee Mears, Matt Stevens, Mike Catt/Kevin Maggs, Chris Malone, Scott Gray, Rob Fidler

Harlequins' Team

15 Gavin Duffy, 14 George Harder, 13 Will Greenwood, 12 Mel Deane, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Paul Burke, 9 Simon Keogh, 1 Ceri Jones, 2 James Hayter,            3 Jon Dawson, 4 Bill Davison, 5 Simon Miall, 6 Pat Sanderson, 7 Andre Vos, 8 Tony Diprose
Replacements:
16 Cameron Dott, 17 Mike Worsley, 18 Laurent Gomez, 19 Jim Evans, 20 Luke Sherriff, 21 Scott Bemand, 22 Andy Dunne

Bath -v- Harlequins Stats

Biggest Win

Last Meetings (Bath scores first)