Bath v Tigers match review
By Tiger in the Bath
March 27 2011
Driving into Bath I felt nervous. I saw flashbacks to the quarter final in the crisp packet where Tigers failed to capitalise on a 2 man advantage and Andy Goode spurned a 3 man overlap in the dying seconds. I saw that try by Butch James to steal a dramatic victory at the Wreck, and remembered that horrible sinking feeling in my stomach as the Bath fans erupted in celebration around me.
With two sons that are Bath fans, and surrounded by Bath supporting friends, not losing to Bath, of all teams, is always important. And with matches against the old enemy always being close and exciting, and Bath on such a good run, and Tigers having lost at home in their last match, I wasn’t confident.
Conditions were perfect for quick, slick rugby. Warm, dry and little wind. Supporters resplendent in club shirts, not covered by jumpers and coats. I took my usual season ticket seat. Usually the only Tigers shirt wearer for miles around, it was splendid to be surrounded by the travelling green red and white supporters.
I wasn’t happy though, as a reporter rookie, to find that I was in one of the few seats in the ground that afforded a view of the back of the action replay screen supplied by ESPN, rather than the more useful front. With no sky recording to go home to, it didn’t bode well for accuracy.
So as BJ kicked off for Bath, it was good to see a solid catch and clearance to start with. Bath’s first line out was sharp, with Claassens rapidly sending the ball across to the back line to the right. Bath attacked down the right with some penetration for the first few minutes. After 5 minutes Manu powered through a Bath tackle, but turned the ball over giving Bath great attacking field position which Ben Williams exploited with an all too easy run up the middle, released to Hooper and Bath were over the line and the home fans jubilant. The intensity of the Bath attack was feeling a bit too much like Ireland v England for my liking. But Dave Pearson went to the fourth official review, and instead gave a 5 metre scrum for not being in control of the ball (I think).
Bath kept up the pressure for most of the first 10 minutes, but couldn’t pierce the Tigers defence again. Despite Duncan Bell doing a more than passable job at outside centre o one memorable burst which resulted in his receiving extended treatment from the physio. It was only a wardrobe malfunction though, so after a change of shorts and some wolf whistles, he was back in play. The Tuilagi twins stopped Bendy as he looked very threatening. And there was on awesome Manu tackle on Vesty – the ground semed to shudder but Sam was up instantly.
Tigers managed to get out of their own half after about 10 minutes for the first time and gained an attacking scrum just inside the Bath 22. Under pressure from the Tigers front row as they would be throughout the game, Pearson gave a penalty not binding properly I think (it’s all a bi murky in there isn’t it?). Tobz slotted the penalty and Tigers were 3-0 up, but could so easily have been 14-0 down already.
Bath were straight back on the attack with Belly popping up on the wing this time. He was just bundled into touch. Tigers turned Bath ball over in the ruck from the lineout, and when AA got the ball just inside the Tigers half in broken play nothing much looked on. Then BJ missed a tackle, AA sold Bananaman a splendid dummy, and was through for the first try leaving half a dozen Bath players feeling a bit bewildered as to how on earth he got through. Conversion from Tobz and its 10-0.
End to end attacking rugby, and Alex was warned for not using his arms in the tackle. Shocking. Bath once again threatened to cross. Ed Slater was pinged for slowing the ball down and invited to go for a cup of tea for 10 minutes. BJ slotted the easy penalty.
Here we go, Bath attacking well, and Tigers down to 14. How many points will Bath post? The answer was that Tigers won the sin bin period 7-0. Claasens through with Bananaman with him, on defender to beat, pass poor and the big man knocks on. Ben Youngs was on a mission to put his display against Ireland behind him, burst through in midfield catching the defence unawares, drew in the remaining defender perfectly and released a full speed Croft to touch down. In 2 minutes we see the difference between wasting and taking your chances. 17-3.
Bath had a lot of the ball over the next 10 minutes, winning 3 kickable penalties. But BJ kicked to touch for attacking lineouts all 3 times. A highlight was a fantastic Tuilagi double tackle on Bananaman. Bath camped on the Tigers line for much of this period but great defence meant no points for their efforts. The scoreline could have been 17-12 at this stage instead of 17-3. Tactics I associate with desperate measures in the last 10 minutes of a match, not during the first half. Very odd.
Then the moment of the match. Youngs again popped up from behind a ruck on the halfway line, again catching the defence on the back foot. His pace and an arcing run drew all of the defenders and he timed his pass to Tobz to finish easily. What a match Youngs was having. Bath did enough on the attempted charge down of the conversion to put the kicker off and it was 22-3 at half time.
Second half saw Bath get a penalty on the Tigers 10, and Watson took it quickly making that 4 spurned 3 point opportunities. A 22-17 score line would have made the whole situation feel very different and would have been a much fairer reflection of the balance of play. Bath’s tactics gave all of the scoreboard pressure to Tigers.
We were entertained in our corner of the ground by a group of well-oiled Tigers fans, one in particular dressed as Castro with wig and padded Italian rugby shirt. The chant of Martin Castrogiovanni to the tune of Seventh Nation Army was funnier to the crowd than to the stewards. The more the stewards got involved, the more distracting it was. The inevitable invitation for Castro to leave was another small example of the jobsworth attitude of most venues and clubs.
Bath won a penalty for I know not what after 10 minutes and BJ finally took the 3 points. Could have been 22-20, but was only 22-6.
Bath threw everything they could at Tigers, getting increasingly desperate as the game went on. But the Tigers forwards were consistently too strong for them in the scrum and at the breakdown. Although both lineouts were pretty flawless all match.
Youngs and Flood combined well after the forwards had gained strong field position inside the Bath 22 and Flood crossed for his second try from short range.
Bath’s tactic of charging down Tobz’ conversions proved successful for a second time. He does take a long time to reach the ball after he starts to stutter forward. Opposition coaches won’t miss that detail. 27 -6. Another Tobz penalty followed soon after for 30-6.
The introduction of MacMillan for Claassens and Lobbe for Grewcock lifted their energy and bite for a while. But the replacement of the Tigers front row with Hawkins, White and Stanko did nothing to reduce the front row effectiveness.
Bath’s frantic attempts to create points led to the inevitable breakaway. Bendy threatened most, but failed to collect a loose ball that Croft beat him too, and Croft was gone from inside his own 10 meter line. None of the chasers gained any ground. Such impressive speed from such a big man. Converted this time for 37-6.
Frustration and aggression boiled over into shoving and throat holding more than once, and the two Argentinians on the field managed to find each other in the middle of it all. Lobbe and Agulla this time both invited to go and share a cup of Pampas Tea for 10 minutes.
Plenty of huff and puff for the remaining quarter of an hour, but no more points and that was the final score when Tigers turned over Bath sustained possession for the final time and Crane kicked into touch.
A deafening silence and absence of congratulatory emails, text messages, and phone calls from all of my Bath supporting friends. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:04:03:16:47:10 by Stephen Bath.
Lovely report, thanks.
Doughnut [Dunkin' Bell] was actually knocked out by Grewcock's knee just before the change of shorts .. DG'd perhaps got no Tigers close enough to him to slap instead?
'Profit Motive' .. the Vaseline of genocides.
'Reality' .. the new cynicism
Andrew on TC's logon
Will update the site with news stories and reports. Supporting the Tigers fans community
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:27:20:49:47 by TigerChick.
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And may I apologise publically for the abuse of my children.
It did produce an entertaining moment three years ago. We had our house on the market and Scott Bemand came round to view it - on his way from Welford Road to the Wreck at the time of course.
He was clearly puzzled that I answered the door in a Tigers shirt but one of the boys bedrooms was festooned in Bath posters.
I don't know which it was that put him off buying it.
Best of luck for the rest of the season and you deserve to win the Premiership if you continue to play like that and give us lesser mortals a proper rugby lesson.