Bath look to settle the score against London Irish
By Malco
September 10 2010
Among all the fantastic things going on within Bath Rugby it is strange to think that as recently as in this fixture last season we saw one of the most abject displays in the club’s illustrious history.
It wasn't the fact we lost. It wasn't even the fact that we failed to trouble the scorer. It was the fact that we were second best in absolutely every position and every phase of the game, from 1 - 15. At the end of the match I looked across at Steve Meehan as I left my seat and found him grimly looking down at his notes, clearly avoiding making eye contact with the shocked supporters around him. At that stage I wondered what the future might hold, for him, for the team and for the club.
You hardly need me to tell you that things have changed a bit since then. Who could have foreseen the glorious run that we were about to embark upon and the huge upswing in the club's fortunes that was waiting to be announced to an unsuspecting world.
When London Irish arrived here last year they quite understandably had a bit of a swagger about them. They expected to perform well and win. This season they are, on paper, even stronger, with key players back from long-term injury and their ranks bolstered by some highly effective new signings, not least of which is Daniel Bowden, the brilliant former Canterbury Crusader. They'll still be expecting to turn up and play well. They'll still be highly competitive, but are they expecting to come away from the Rec with a win? I very much doubt it.
This says something about Bath's potential this year, because I expect London Irish to be well and truly in the mix at the end of the season. Their first choice team exudes quality in every position and they play an exciting, heads-up brand of attacking rugby that, much like our own, will benefit from the new breakdown laws.
There should be a bit of an edge to Bath this weekend. Not only are the fortunes of the club on and off the pitch totally redefined from this point last season, the players also have a major score to settle in order to wipe away the remaining vestiges of that all-time low of a performance last year. Many of the personnel are the same, many will be looking make an individual and collective statement.
Last week's performance against Leeds was a promising portent of what may be to come, but was far from perfect, especially in the tight phases. At first glance then it might seem a little strange that the pack remains the same but that the backs, so effective last week, have been shuffled. Biggs drops to the bench to accommodate fit-again Olly Barkley. Banahan moves to his more usual position on the left wing and Hape goes out one to outside centre.
For London Irish the team sheet is identical to that which embarrassed Saracens at Twickenham last week. The key battles that will determine this game will take place in the back row and behind the scrum because this is where both teams are strongest. The battle on the ground and in the rucks and the mauls will decide which set of backs gets most attacking ball in hand, so expect to see Moody, Watson and Taylor engaged in a huge battle with Armitage, Danaher and Stowers. Given the attacking potential of Tagicakibau, Ojo and Armitage out wide and the intelligence and skill of Bowden at 12, this is a battle that they must win.
This will be a major test of the true potential of our team, but a test I expect Bath to pass, with London Irish possibly going home with a bonus point. With both teams set up to play positive, attacking rugby this should be one of the very best games of the season for the spectator.
Bath Rugby
15. Nick Abendanon
14. Matt Carraro
13. Shontayne Hape
12. Olly Barkley
11. Matt Banahan
10. Sam Vesty
9. Michael Claassens
1. David Flatman
2. Lee Mears
3. David Wilson
4. Stuart Hooper
5. Danny Grewcock
6. Simon Taylor
7. Lewis Moody
8. Luke Watson (c)
Replacements
16. Pieter Dixon
17. Nathan Catt
18. Duncan Bell
19. Ben Skirving
20. Andy Beattie
21. Mark McMillan
22. Tom Biggs
23. Jack Cuthbert
London Irish: 15. Delon Armitage; 14. Topsy Ojo; 13. Elvis Seveali'i; 12. Daniel Bowden; 11. Sailosi Tagicakibau; 10. Ryan Lamb; 9. Paul Hodgson; 1. Clarke Dermody (captain); 2. David Paice; 3. Faan Rautenbach; 4. Kieran Roche; 5. Bob Casey; 6. Declan Danaher; 7. Steffon Armitage; 8. George Stowers.
Replacements: 16. James Buckland; 17. Max Lahiff; 18. Alex Corbisiero; 19. Nick Kennedy; 20. Matt Garvey; 21. Seilala Mapusua; 22. Jonathon Joseph; 23. Chris Malone.
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Looking forward to what the Cattmeister has in store for us.
Stuart
Former ed.
It will also be interesting to see the power of Hape against the agility of Elvis (remember him), who seems to be back to his best.
I'd love Elvis to score the winning try against you guys. He owes us for nearly putting us into NL1 all those years ago.
