Make or Break: Montpellier v Bath

It is European make or break for Bath Rugby this Friday. Unlike recent political debate, this is not about referendum or votes but performance and match results. A sharp tactical blueprint will be needed – not a white paper.

Languishing at the bottom of the Pool 4 table, Bath must win to keep alive slim hopes of qualification for the knock-out phases. To do so they must travel to Montpellier to face the side which came second in the regular season table of last year’s French Top 14. Escape from a “group of death” seems a tall order at the Altrad Stadium, against a recent aristocrat of the French club game. There is however, light at the end of the tunnel. Montpellier are not this season the force they were a few years ago when they launched the careers of Parra, Trinh-Duc and Ouadrougou. This year they lie only 8^th in the table, their inconsistency evidenced by victories against two teams above them, while losing to four of the bottom five sides.

For all their puzzling inconsistency, this is a club with a strong squad: French props Attoub & Mas, locks Privat & Tchale –Watchou plus a cosmopolitan back row of Oudragogo, Mowen & Qera is a pack to frighten the best. Behind the scrum they can rely on Trinh-Duc to pull the strings and bring into play thrusting South African centre Wynand Olivier or flying France wing Anthony Floch. Their humble league position suggest that they may wish to use Friday’s fixture for their own rehabilitation –if not for Europe, to give them confidence to build some momentum for the domestic season. Much will depend on their mood and on the Mediterranean weather. If that smiles on them, they are capable of multi-wave attacks like those of AP leaders Exeter and a home crowd will definitely provide a moral lift.

Against that, Bath have some good omens and recent results in their favour. The south of France has often been a happy hunting ground for Bath and this weekend the return of their internationals will provide a near full strength squad to select from. Add to that the recent run of 3 Premiership wins in the Autumn International window and Bath can prepare with confidence and optimism. Indeed, last Friday Bath humiliated the Quins pack without four of their usual first choice front five. International absences have bolstered rather than stretched Bath’s strength in depth by giving valuable game time to bench and reserve players, and how some of them have responded! Thomas, Ewels, Sisi and Devoto have been particularly prominent over the past 3 weeks and Matt Banahan put in his strongest performance of the season on Friday –sharp & aggressive, running with real gusto and taking his early try well to open the scoring.

Bath’s selection will be subject of fan speculation this week. Will Matt Garvey be fit to play? Is Semesa Rokodoguni fully recovered from the hip injury which has restricted his international appearances? Is Sam Burgess to get another outing from the bench as suggested last week by Mike Ford? With only 17 minutes Premiership Union under his belt, Sam may not be ready for saviour status yet, but could still prove a psychological weapon to be used if needed. Finally, who of the recent stand-ins will keep a place in the 23? Whoever the coaches chose, some real talent will be left out.

As all Bath’s first choice threequarters have international experience and with the pack in roaring form, they will hope to pressure their French opponents, force errors and prey on possibly fragile confidence. If that succeeds, they may get their hosts on the back foot and wishing they could concentrate on domestic competition. If not, home advantage and the riches of their squad should see Montpellier home.

Bath have every reason to be confident, but the Altrad Stadium could become a baying bear-pit. Bath will be fortunate to come away with a losing bonus point.

Possible Bath team:, James, Webber , Wilson, Attwood, Hooper, Fearns, Sisi, Houston, Cook, Ford, Banahan, Eastmond, Joseph, Watson, Agulla
Bench:, Auterac, Batty, Thomas, Day, Ewels, Stringer, Devoto, Burgess