Send Reinforcements! Bath v Saracens

Bath snatched the West Country derby last week with their 6 Nations stars returned to club action. This Friday they will hope for further strengthening when they host league leaders Saracens. The men from Allianz Park seem to have had it all their way this season, suffering only 4 Premiership defeats and racking up a clean sweep in the European Champions Cup pool. Indeed, they have been a model of consistency in recent years: table toppers 2 of the last 3 and rising from 4th via the playoffs to beat Bath in last year’s final. Then there is their European form- beaten finalists in 2014, semi finalists last year and leading seed this time around. Bath can take small comfort from the fact that all 4 of Saracens AP defeats this season have been since Christmas: 3 of them came during the 6 Nations. The coaches at Farleigh will be racking their brains to find a chink in their opponents’ armour.

Saracens dominated selection in a revitalized, Grand Slam winning England, claiming the England man of the tournament in Billy Vunipola, with teammates Kruis, Itoje and Farrell all in the running. As a club their success is built on a disciplined approach, low-risk rugby and steely foundations up front.  This success has not won them many friends outside their catchment area, with accusations of cynicism, negativity and boring play following most of their wins. This season that view would be as unfair as it is harsh. Last Saturday’s demolition of Exeter is a case in point. With deft offloads, cute running angles and sweeping passing moves, they showed just how creative an attacking force they can be – notching up 6 tries in the process. Steely the foundations may be, but their forwards can do their stuff in the open field too: the Vunipolas on punishing, bruising carries, Brits like a third centre, making half breaks and setting up strike runners, Wray, Itoje, Brown & Hargreaves getting into the act as required. Two sets of halfbacks who control the game exceptionally well can also turn defence swiftly into attack and when they do, there are fewer better finishers than Chris Wyles, who is in a rich vein of form.

To face this multitude of threats Bath will want their strongest possible selection. Key forwards Auterac and Attwood managed 40 minutes each in Easter Monday’s A fixture and will hopefully be fit to take their places. Both will be welcome for their set piece stability and their aggression in all aspects of loose play.  Eastmond and Mafi may not be far from a return either and each brings his own individual flair: threats which even the famous “wolf pack” defence must heed. In front of a home crowd, if Ford, Joseph and Watson can bring the best of their 6 Nations form, Bath can hope to spring a surprise. Semesa Rokodoguni has an excellent chance to catch Eddie Jones eye and will want to continue his recent scoring exploits. Bath have the means to give him the chances- they just need to refind the form the backs are capable of.

In the same fixture last year, played on a gloomy  October evening, Bath stunned Saracens with a directness in aggressive defence that beat the wolves at their own game. This year, their best chance of “out-Sarrying the Sarries” might seem to be if their visitors’ minds are elsewhere: on the following weekends European Quarter finals. They may indeed rest some key players, but rotation is always their policy. If Bath click, this could be a cracker, but the chances of knocking the fezzes off the Fezheads heads will be slim.

Possible Teams:

Bath:, Catt, Webber, Wilson. Attwood, Ewels, Garvey, Louw, Houston.. Cook, Ford,  Banahan, Devoto, Joseph, Rokodoguni. Watson.
Replacements: Auterac , Dunn, Thomas, Day, Mafi. Evans,  Priestland, Eastmond.

Saracens: Vunipola, Brits, Du Plessis, Kruis, Itoje, Wray, Fraser, Vunipola. De Kock, Farrell. Wyles, Barritt, Bosch, Taylor, Goode.
Replacements: Saunder, Barrington, Lamositele, Hargreaves, Brown, Wigglesworth, Hodgson, Ransom.