A Tough Task: Bath v Wasps
Ford: Few Changes?
By P G Tips
January 6 2015
Bath face a tough task to recover winning ways this Saturday. After a humbling and bruising encounter at Welford Road, they next host Wasps –arguably the fastest improving Premiership team. Whatever the arguments about their move to Coventry, the Ricoh stadium seems to have given Wasps a welcome shot in the arm – and they have started to win away from home too. Since narrowly losing to Tigers on 29 November they have dealt successfully with London Irish, Gloucester & Sale: rising from 7th to 4th in the table as a result.
The fortunes of the two clubs in round 12 were markedly different. While Bath got dragged into a slugfest by Leicester and only flirted with a losing bonus point in the dying minutes, Wasps secured the 5 league points available early in the second half of a dominant display, against opponents expected to test their recent resurgence to the limit. A simple assessment of Monday’s squad meetings could easily be “Wasps, tails up: Bath, heads down”. So a triple whammy threatens at the Rec this weekend. Premiership standing, the home league record and even England places could be in danger if Wasps are allowed to develop any fluency.
Christian Wade, Joe Simpson and a rejuvenated Andy Goode usually grab the headlines for Wasps, but surely their most potent threat is in the back row? Johnson, Hughes and Haskell have gelled well together this term in both attack and defence and are starting to emulate the status of previous star loose trios, such as Worsley, Dallaglio, Rees. Their tight five gave Bath a torrid time at the scrummage in October and will be looking to do so again, having viewed the frustrations the Rec men had to suffer against Tigers. If these threats are not enough, Andy Goode, the all time top goal kicker of the Premiership is in a rich vein of form, and 4 of the top 9 Premiership try scorers are Wasps, who trail only Saints for tries scored by the team. Backing their scoring power is a tight fisted defence masterminded by former Rec favourite Brad Davies.
Bath will be aware of all these threats, but this week’s training is likely to focus on their own performance. England squad aspirants will want to impress, with a few having shown signs of fallibility at Welford Road. Some Bath players did enhance their reputations – Ollie Devoto looked the most composed of the backs, Nick Auterac was potent at set piece and in the loose and Ross Batty’s try was just reward for his all action display. This week’s selection could be constrained by recent injuries to Kyle Eastmond and Jonathon Joseph –hopefully at least one of these will be fit to take his place. Fatigue and form will also be taken into account, with key questions to be answered at front row, loose forward and in the centre.
Questions aside, Bath will probably resist the temptation to make major changes – either to personnel or game plan. The work will be on the execution and on concentration of force at the breakdown to take the initiative in possession and position. Light rain and a brisk breeze are expected at match time on Saturday, so kick-chase and catch & drive are likely to be on view. Bath showed before Christmas that they can play a bit, even in the rain, so there should be running rugby too. How much depends on whether the forwards can lift themselves to dominate their opponents. A tough, bruising contest is in prospect. Bath to win – by a score.
Possible Teams:
Bath:
Auterac, Batty, Wilson, Hooper, Attwood, Garvey, Louw, Houston. Cook, Ford. Banahan, Devoto, Joseph, Rokoduguni, Watson,
Bench: James, Webber, Thomas, Day, Fa’osiliva, Young, Burgess, Agulla
Wasps: Mullan, Festuccia, Cittadini, Davies, Gaskell, Johnson, Haskell, Hughes. Simpson, Goode, Varndell , Jacobs,Daly, Wade, Miller
Bench: Yapp, Lindsay, Cooper-Woolley, Myall, Jones, Davies,Lozowski, Leiua
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:01:12:23:26:12 by Stuart Anderton.
Wasps definitely have their tales up and our confidence has been dented, slightly, but again I say it, as long as our front five put in a robust shift and get an edge, even a small one, as long as we don't kick aimlessly and don't let their back 3 run the ball back, we can and should do it. One of their best carriers and runners is Miller the ex Sale 15. He has real gas like their 2 wingers, as has Daly who is like Henry Slade, an excellent all round footballer. It will be tight and probably no more than 7 points in it.
I hope we go with the team shown above, particularly if Kyle is not fit, but feel they may consider starting Aguilla over Banners to keep the very slippery and fast turning Wade under control. After last weekend, I sincerely hope Fa'osiliva is able to take Fearns place as he offers so much more of an allround game and has extra speed to counter their big carrying back row.
C' mon Bath we can and must win this one.
My worry is like in the away game, the pack loses up front and the back row get out played. with Garvey and Louw back we are in a much better place there though.
Wasps were clearly expecting Burgess to be selected at centre judging by their selection.
Bath will need to make the most of Johnson's initial absence. Bath's back row is stronger than the selection for October's Adams visit & the starting front row got the better of Wasps in the latter stages of that match. Two good omens.
Add the desperation to put last week's below par display behind them: should be a mighty effort.
PG