Get the Show on the Road. London Irish v Bath

  After their most disappointing start to a season for three years, Bath next travel to Reading to face a London Irish side who are getting “much better” according to new supremo Tom Coventry. Last Saturday’s home defeat to Harlequins showed a vulnerability from Bath that has not been seen at home for some years, Irish meanwhile are in Coventry’s view “not far from our first win”. Bath’s job this weekend is to deny them that dream and get their own show back on the road. The graph of recent performance seems to have been heading the wrong way, so neither task looks easy.  

This could be “make or break” weekend for Bath. A win is essential to restore confidence and momentum before the opening European Champions Cup fixtures against Toulon & Leinster, followed by daunting Premiership dates with Leicester and Saints. As those are followed by 2 more “Group of Death” European fixtures against Wasps, Bath’s England contingent can feel they have been catapulted from frying pan to fire. Perhaps World Cup fatigue is responsible for the Rec team’s failure to spark so far, or it could be the off field distractions of salary cap rumours and Sam Burgess’s future? Whatever the cause, supporter morale has taken a battering, there is much soul searching to do and steely determination will be needed.

Irish might be tipped by many to be in the relegation dogfight this season, but a home game against struggling visitors would seem the ideal moment to start their revival. Their pack will be hard nosed in tackle and driving maul, as shown last week when they forced Saracens back over their line for a try. Expect them to scrap for every ball and spoil Bath possession, with Paice, Skivington and Scotland hero Cowan in the van. All will want to prove they are better than more illustrious opponents. The same could be true of their backs. Maitland and Tikoirotuma offer pace and strength on the wings and they will have noted the dents made in Bath’s defence by Visser & Yarde. Behind them the veteran Ojo is a third paceman with his own brand of unpredictability.

Mike Ford has much to ponder. His demeanour in interview after the Quins match spoke volumes and I expect that the squad will have been left in no doubt this week of what he expects. Fans will hope that his sharp words will have the same effect that Steve Hansen’s “hairdryer” did on the All Blacks at half time in the World Cup Semi Final. Top on the list is discipline: four yellow cards in 3 matches is just unacceptable. So too eight kickable penalties in a single game. Defensive discipline is high on the list too – it may be time to reconsider the narrow “drift” defence and guards around the rucks have to be better positioned, more alert. Bath’s lineout is improving, but still not secure enough: there is work to do on legal and power scrummaging too.

For all the woes of the past two weeks, Bath should have enough pedigree and experience to win. Even in an away fixture against an Irish team desperate for their own success, supported by a crowd who will probably pressurise three inexperienced officials heavily. Webber, Hooper, Day & Houston need to step up in the forwards. The half backs must aim for control and territory first, finding positions from which to build scores. There will be time to unleash the likes of Rokodoguni and Banahan, but I would not be surprised if it is tight to start with. Tight the scoreboard may be too, but I expect a Bath win: by a score or maybe two.

Possible Teams: Bath: Auterac, Batty, Thomas, Hooper (Capt) , Garvey, Fa’osiliva, Mercer, Houston. Matawalu, Ford. Banahan, Priestland , Devoto, Rokodoguni. Homer Replacements:   Lahiff, Webber, Wilson, Day, Burgess, Cook, Eastmond, Watson

London Irish:

Smallbone, Paice, Aulika, Skivington (capt), Symons, Sinclair, Cowan, McCusker. McKibbin, Noakes. Maitland, Fowlie, Mulchrone, Tikoirotuma. Ojo

Replacements: Ellis, Court, Halavatau, Sheriff, Narraway , Steele, Geraghty, Lewington.