Out of the Frying Pan

Out of the frying pan and into the fire is the prospect facing Bath at Sandy Park on Sunday. From losing at home to allow Wasps to climb to third, they must now face the second placed side away. Wasps dominance in the first half and the second quarter seemed so complete it was a surprise they did not gain a bonus point victory. Now Ford’s men have to shake off their disappointment and face another high flying club who play a game of high tempo and intensity, while losing at least 8 international squad players to national call ups or injury.  The picture looks bleak and the bookies are backing the Chiefs.

The chiefs of the Native American plains tribes had a reputation for using fire to torture their captives. The chanting braves on the terraces will be hoping their heroes give the men from the Rec the sort of roasting their form has so often threatened. They will feel that now is their time, with Bath both depleted and underperforming.  Rob Baxter’s trademark game plan of hard driving carries up the middle, aggressive rucking and multi-layered close and wide passing attack has shredded some well prepared defences this season, so the Rec faithful will be apprehensive about the ability of a cobbled together backline to cope – especially in a an away derby.

Bath will travel with some hope, however thin. Chiefs form in their past three games has fallen below the heights they were achieving earlier in the season. There were signs of fatigue and staleness in last Sunday’s encounter with London Irish, whose aggressive defence blunted Exeter’s attempts at a flowing game for much of the match. So successful were they that Baxter, usually a model of correctness, chose to criticize the Irish support staff for delay tactics and gamesmanship. Among the positives Bath could take from their defeat last weekend was just such an aggressive defence: an “inyaface” effort which frustrated Wasps and ultimately helped close the scoreboard gap to a most unlikely six points.

Matt Banahan led the defensive effort and seemed to embody the spirit of the side, although many would choose new back rower Amanaki Mafi as man of that particular match for his tireless running, carrying and breakdown work. It will be to these two, Francois Louw and a hopefully refreshed Stuart Hooper that Bath will look for direction this weekend. With Chris Cook growing in confidence as he gets more game time and Rokodoguni pressing a case for restoration to the England squad, Bath have the attacking armoury. To exploit it they will need a better share of possession and territory than against Wasps, plus some stability and fluency in midfield.  There are rumours that Kyle Eastmond may be ready to return, but Dan Bowden probably not. Hopefully neither will be risked if not ready.  It is hard to see anything but an Exeter win, but as Newcastle begin to climb the table and with Irish the visitors to the Rec on 5 March, Bath need to get as much from their visit to the west as possible.

Possible Teams:
Bath: Auterac, Batty, Wilson. Hooper (Capt), Ewels, Garvey, Louw, Mafi. Cook, Hastings. Agulla, Clark, Banahan, Rokodoguni. Homer.

Replacements:  Lahiff, Webber, Thomas, Day, Houston. Evans,Eastmond, Williams.

Exeter Chiefs:

Moon, Yeandle (capt), Low, Hill, Parling, Armand, Salvi, Waldrom. Chudley, Steenson. Short, Hill, Whitton, Woodburn. Dollman.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Hepburn, Francis, Atkins, Horstmann, Lewis, Hooley, Jess