Match preview: Falcons to test Bath depth

Four weeks of AP action during the Six Nations could be defining for Bath’s season. In those weeks Bath will meet the league leaders, 2 mid table teams and strugglers Newcastle Falcons.

For a club with playoff ambition a minimum return of 3 wins must be the target and there will be the small matter of correcting a heavy defeat away at Allianz Park. All this with a squad somewhat reduced by international call ups and injury.

Time now for strength in depth to play its’ part including some players in pivotal positions: both props and fly half among others. It will be interesting to see how Bath’s coaches balance their resources over the next month and what selections are forced upon them by the calls of national selectors. For this weekend at least Stuart Lancaster has decided he does not need 3 Bath backs, so we may yet see George Ford pulling the strings while Kyle & Antony exploit the gaps.

Falcon’s Premiership success rate may suggest the claws of an ageing carrion crow rather than a rampant raptor, but no side coached by Dean Richards should be taken lightly. An experienced set of forwards - Thompson, Brookes, Del Fava, Barrow, Saull and Hogg among them, will work to put Godman in range of the posts, to slow down home possession and to spoil. With good ball they will try to work their runners into the game – Cato a lethal finisher on occasion at previous clubs and perhaps even old Rec favourites Crockett & Higgins.

Dom Barrow has said Falcons will feel no pressure at Bath and some on this board feel the game may be close, or that complacency may be our undoing. Bath though can name their own strong 8, safe in the knowledge that the forwards laid the platform for a comfortable win in very unsympathetic Kingston Park weather in September. Whatever the conditions, Bath – who have proven adept at a number of styles and know more than one way to win, ought to be firm favourites: ought to win well. This though is sport, this is the disruptive time of year and a full blooded contest awaits. I will opt for a Bath win by 2 scores or more.

Expect a hard tussle to start as the home team look to get in the early psychological blows we have seen in so many recent games. If the home forwards can subdue the Falcons 8 then expect to see some sharp finishing and a try bonus point. Bring it on: Come on Bath!

Possible Bath team: Perenise, Webber, Orlandi, Hooper, Day, Fearns, Louw, Houston, Young, Ford, Banahan, Devoto, Eastmond, Biggs, Abendanon Bench: Catt, Guinazou, Palmer Newport, Garvey, Fa’osiliva, Roberts, Henson, Watson