Match Preview: Wasps sting in the tail for Bath?

Bath enter the critical last 3 weeks of the season walking a tight rope which could bring success or failure in 2 competitions. In third place (just) in the Premiership, they need to survive 2 tough encounters against fellow hopefuls Northampton & Quins to secure a semi final spot.

The picture is no easier in the Amlin Cup, where semi final opponents Wasps - a traditional pestilential bogey team for Bath - have home advantage and are seemingly finding form at just the right point in the season. Whipping boys for the leaders earlier in the season and low mid table in the Premiership, they have found some comfort in recent wins against similarly placed Gloucester.

It seems their best hope of glory this term is the Amlin cup: they gained a clean sweep in their pool, finishing second best pool winner behind Bath, then dispatched Gloucester in the Quarter by 36 points to 24. To do so they had to rely in part on the boot of fly half Goode and withstand a fightback by Gloucester who matched them try for try. A similar story played out in last weekend’s Premiership meeting between the sides: Wasps had the try advantage 5:3 this time in “The Stinger”, but having seemed in control, even when reduced by sin-bin to 13, conceded 2 soft tries in the last 15 minutes to take the gloss off their win.

The danger in Wasps backline has been evident all season, but Saturday’s result saw a new phenomenon – a performance from the back row that dominated the match, got the pundits purring and inspired Lawrence Dallaglio to name them collectively as “Players of the Round”. Bath will need to be wary of their threat and that of the 2 locks, Launchbury & Myall (a possible future England combination) who are both fine lineout technicians and strong carriers. Wasps set out their stall by selecting their strongest line up for the Quarter Final and are likely to do so again on Sunday.

It will be interesting to see how the Bath coaches manage their resources for the coming weeks – especially as Northampton are due at the Rec only 5 days later. I would opt for the strongest side available and go for win and momentum, but it may be that Mike Ford and co will stick with those who have got the club thus far in this competition. Of last Saturday’s bench, Perenise, Day, Mercer, Stringer & Joseph certainly have strong claims and have played notable parts in the season so far. So too Devoto & Rokoduguni, while Orlandi & Caldwell will also be pressing their cases for inclusion one more time. I suspect the coaches will be as focused on finding and exploiting defensive frailties in Wasps’ alignment as they will on selection. My bet is that their eyes are on both competitions, turning 3 fixtures into 6.

Whichever team they choose, this is a winnable opportunity, but fraught with danger too. Cup rugby & a proud club with a season to rescue make for a daunting obstacle. Bath though have enjoyed success at Adams Park already this season, having much the better of the encounter. Wasps will not remember the charges of Leroy Houston, or the finishing of Rokoduguni fondly- they must be hoping neither are chosen. Bath will hope for more of the same from them, another potent scrummage performance to put the team on the front foot and inhibit Wasps fiery backs and some more bruising charges from Saturday’s man of the match Matt Banahan. With Roman Poite as referee we can look forward to decisive regulation of the scrum, where legal dominance should be rewarded. Bath are not guiltless at this phase, but when scrummaging straight are too strong for most packs. The key to it all though, will be George Ford, pulling the strings, kicking for territory and for goal: his duel with Goode will be a fascinating sub plot. Expect a tough contest, as a Semi final should be.

This will be close, but Bath have a chance to confirm their season’s improvement with a first final for 6 years. Bath by 7.

Possible Teams:

Bath: Catt, Webber, , Perenise, Day, Attwood, Garvey, Mercer, Houston, Stringer, Ford, Rokoduguni, Henson, Banahan, Agulla, Abendanon Bench: James, Batty, Orlandi, Caldwell, Fearns, Young, Eastmond, Joseph

Wasps: Mullan, Festuccia, Cooper-Woolley; Launchbury, Myall; Johnson, Haskell, Hughes. Simpson, Goode, Helu, Bell, Daly, Short, Masi Bench: McIntyre, Lindsay, Swainston, Palmer, Jones, Davies, Carlisle, Hayter ​​