Frustration Shootout: Bath V Gloucester

Friday night’s Western derby will be a shootout between two frustrated clubs.  A Bath side struggling to find the zip and consistency of the past two seasons host a Gloucester team whose supporters must be hoping to see some results from two seasons of rebuilding. Both can claim that they are nearly there, given recent performances. Indeed, in the battle of the Avon-Severn bragging rights, Bath can claim that they have got “there” first- a Premiership Final & European Quarter last season and greater international recognition for their squad. This season it is Gloucester who edge the status of the lowly placed - standing 8th in the Premiership to Bath’s 9th. It is the Kingsholm men who have made it to a European Quarter this time, albeit in the easiest pool of the minor competition.  In derby rugby form and statistics seldom count. The one figure that looks interesting for Bath is that a bonus point victory could reverse the positions.  

Last weekend, Gloucester led Leicester all the way until victory was snatched from them at the death. The week before they were beaten by Exeter in their other west country fixture. No shame in either result, both offering plenty of encouragement that a performance of note is near. Bath too have been forged in fire. In three of their last four games they have led for much of the match and salvaged bonus points from close defeats by the champions of England and of Europe. Gallant losers is not good enough though: for the coaches, the owner, the fans – not least, the players themselves. The edge of local rivalry is given extra snarl by the pent up frustration.

Gloucester have been only lightly affected by international call-ups. True, they must do without Scotland captain Laidlaw, but hold on to Welshmen Hibbard and Hook plus England’s Morgan and Twelvetrees. As Bath are shorn of Ford, Devoto, Joseph, Watson and Denton and could in addition lose Day & Priestland to Wales, the balance seems to swing towards the Cherry & Whites.  Even without Jonny May they carry pacey threat in Sharples and Cook, direct midfield presence from Meakes and both guile and goalkicking from Hook and Billy Burns, the latter assessed by his old school as a greater talent than Tiger elder brother Freddy. Their team in transition could be about to gel as Premiership rivals face 6 Nations disruption and, in Bath’s case, a renewed round of rebuild with players departing and new signings anticipated.

The men from the Rec know they have a fight on their hands – but it is a fight that means more than one match, more than a derby and potentially a key point in their season. They will want to put the “Old Spots” in their place in a showdown characteristic of a western gunfight.  Bath showed at Allianz Park last week that they fear nobody. They will need to subdue a Gloucester pack in which Stookes will be desperate to impress and to deal with the seemingly ongoing failings in discipline and restarts.  If they can, Banahan, Agulla, Rokodoguni can be the strikeforce, Bowden and Eastmond the playmakers, the home crowd the motivation. Bath have it in them to win. A bonus point to start climbing the table would be nice, but in a derby any win is a good win – the win itself is a must. Come on, Bath! Silence the donkeys!

Possible Bath Team:

Auterac, Batty, Wilson. Hooper (Capt) Ewels, Garvey, Fa’osiliva, Houston.
Cook, Bowden, Banahan,  Eastmond,  Agulla, Rokodoguni. Homer.

 Replacements:  Lahiff, Webber, P-Newport, Ellis, Mercer. Evans, Jennings, Clark