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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:10:12:17:01:23 by CoochieCoo.

This is a holding story to reactivate the site.

Thanks Coochie.

Match Preview to follow later today.

PG

Great but no need to hurry it now?

Great news either way. Is there something to be interpreted in the way they’ve said it’s an initial 3 months and therefore it could be more? Seems strange with Spencer back up and running unless we’ve always been short and we were waiting for the right player?

I like this, will be good to see him with cips, hopefully

Well Spencer has to be out for a minimum continuous period of 12 weeks within a Season for Injured Player cap credits so seems odd to get Simpson for 3 months if Spencer is back soon?

Speaking of Spencers, are we ever going to see Will Spencer on the rugby field given the shortage of locks?

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

Maybe Simpson is 'injury cover' for JCok? His injury looks like it might be a longer term one (longer than Spencer's anyway) so maybe we've worked out we've got enough wingers but could do with another experienced 9.

Very useful signing, but who gets to tell him he is wearing number 19 on match day?

Quote:

dr.bath1865
Maybe Simpson is 'injury cover' for JCok? His injury looks like it might be a longer term one (longer than Spencer's anyway) so maybe we've worked out we've got enough wingers but could do with another experienced 9.

Can't do that unfortunately, has to be the same position and equivalent experience / level for injury cap dispensation.

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

So, we've got Cipriani and we've got Simpson. Any bets that the genius minds in charge of our recruitment will be currently pursuing Stuart Abbott and Laurence Dallaglio to play alongside them?

Not impressed.

Do you think that Bath Rugby sat down with a blank sheet of paper and brainstormed who they would like in the whole of rugby and came up with Cipriani and Simpson? Or was it case for Simpson that Spencer is injured and he was available and can 'do a job'.

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

Ah. Didn’t realise that. Thanks for clarifying, Matt.

Quote:

malco
So, we've got Cipriani and we've got Simpson. Any bets that the genius minds in charge of our recruitment will be currently pursuing Stuart Abbott and Laurence Dallaglio to play alongside them?
Not impressed.

So who should the club have signed instead to cover Spencer’s injury?

Rob Howley.

Quote:

dr.bath1865
Ah. Didn’t realise that. Thanks for clarifying, Matt.

No charge for that mate! I think the point that I was trying to make is that we all wanted the kids like Fox to get a run and all like Spencer so we just needed a fill in. Simpson is probably the best we could have expected I would imagine, especially with the agents thing going on.

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

Not back 5 minutes, and the sniping has started, already

Quote:

OutsideBath

Quote:

malco
So, we've got Cipriani and we've got Simpson. Any bets that the genius minds in charge of our recruitment will be currently pursuing Stuart Abbott and Laurence Dallaglio to play alongside them?
Not impressed.

So who should the club have signed instead to cover Spencer’s injury?

They should have thought about that 12 months ago. We should have a succession plan that ensures that the squad is not that thin in key positions. This is not a new situation. There is no way that we should find ourselves in a situation where we have one experienced 9 on the verge of England selection and two academy graduates as back up. The same goes for 10. This situation has been going on for years. The way the club treated Priestland to paper over the cracks of their shambolic recruitment is an embarrassment. Chucking money at Cipriani in desperation is a humiliation. And again we have no plan b. A crocked South African journeyman and an academy graduate who could have his career ruined by being thrown in the deep end.

Look at the situation at lock and ask what happens if we have a significant injury or two there. And at tight head where we have one England fringe player and a couple of journeymen in support.

The real question is, with the history of the club and the facilities it has, why are top class players apparently so reticent to come to Bath?

Quote:

dr.bath1865
Rob Howley.

I wouldn’t bet on it.

Having Spencer injured is not ideal of course, but given that he is out for some time, I am more than happy to have Joe S on board.

His experience and defensive abilities will supplement Fox nicely.

Welcome Joe.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:10:12:22:19:48 by Kidney Stone.

I must be alone in wanting Fox & Bailey to continue playing as well as they are & developing their understanding rather than being dumped for short term fixes.

I'm the same, I'd be very happy with Fox and Bailey starting with Simpson and Cips on the bench.

I think this is an awful hire and another example of knee jerk reactive panic from a club that has utterly failed to plan effectively in player acquisitions for years.

He is 4th choice at Gloucester behind Meehan, Chapman and Varney. He is an injury prone 33 year old who has never had great all round skills but who has been effective throughout his career as a sniping scrum half due to his pace. Which has now significantly deteriorated due to a succession of serious ankle injuries.

Gloucester are desperate to get rid. We've done them a huge favour.

At least he won't be embarrassing the club on the tabloid news pages like Cipriani.

Fine but that means Simpson has to be here................or a player of his ilk.

I think we can reasonably say we are not going to be iin the Top 4 this season and as there is no relegation we should be looking at our squad and getting the most out of the sub 25 year olds and we should be planning to be stronger next year and then competing really strongly in 2023 - 24..

Young players can't get experience without...........................err...........................playing. Cips and Simpson's primary job should be to ensure that Fax/Bailey are the best they can be in 12 - 18 months time.

Quote:

malco
I think this is an awful hire and another example of knee jerk reactive panic from a club that has utterly failed to plan effectively in player acquisitions for years.
He is 4th choice at Gloucester behind Meehan, Chapman and Varney. He is an injury prone 33 year old who has never had great all round skills but who has been effective throughout his career as a sniping scrum half due to his pace. Which has now significantly deteriorated due to a succession of serious ankle injuries.

Gloucester are desperate to get rid. We've done them a huge favour.

At least he won't be embarrassing the club on the tabloid news pages like Cipriani.

Simpson is an experienced and available SH who can provide short term cover, help the youngsters in training and ease some of the pressure with little cup games etc on the horizon. I truly don't understand why its such a big deal - if we had just signed him on a 5-year arrangement then fair enough, as it stands 3 months isn't really a big deal IMO.

In relation to the earlier point about There is no way that we should find ourselves in a situation where we have one experienced 9 on the verge of England selection and two academy graduates as back up.. Spencer isn't really on the verge of England selection is he? Green may be an academy graduate but he is 26 years old in February, older than Sam Underhill and 6 months younger than Charlie Ewels, he may not have had much Premiership exposure but he's not a kid any more. I am happier this season than I was last with soon-to-be-leaving Chudley on the bench every week. The real crime here in my view is not using Fox (or Green) as backup to Spencer last season.

My only real concern remains with the quality of some of the props brought in and the very worrying lack of numbers / quality at lock.

Final point is the snipe about Cipriani, when was the last time he did something embarrassing which made the front pages of a tabloid? 2013 maybe? He is a stepfather and step grandfather these days with a settled family life, he seems to have calmed down since his mid 20s and think he comes across pretty well these days.

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

Quote:

Bath Supporter Jack
Fine but that means Simpson has to be here................or a player of his ilk.
I think we can reasonably say we are not going to be iin the Top 4 this season and as there is no relegation we should be looking at our squad and getting the most out of the sub 25 year olds and we should be planning to be stronger next year and then competing really strongly in 2023 - 24..

Young players can't get experience without...........................err...........................playing. Cips and Simpson's primary job should be to ensure that Fax/Bailey are the best they can be in 12 - 18 months time.

Right. So go to Cipriani's beloved Instagram page and read how excited he is to be at a great club at this stage of his career, how he is completely dedicated to his fitness, how he is working flat out to pass his skills and knowledge on to young players and is desperate to see them reach their huge potential, winning stuff for Bath in the future.

Oh wait, there is not a single mention of Bath Rugby on his Instagram page.

Not one.

[instagram.com]

[www.dailymail.co.uk]

The guys has had a number of issues, not least ones related to his mental health and I think that you need to give him a break tbh Malco. #benice

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

Cips has made 7 posts since he signed, 2 of them mention Bath Rugby. He's clearly not massively on social media. Feels like maybe you're looking for things to support the idea you already have in your head.

Quote:

BathMatt53
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-9981181/Danny-Cipriani-opens-shedding-old-life-love-marriage-new-start-Bath.html
The guys has had a number of issues, not least ones related to his mental health and I think that you need to give him a break tbh Malco. #benice

Nope.

I have great sympathy for his mental health problems on a personal level.

As a supporter of Bath Rugby I am not going to allow that to gloss over the facts.

In the litany of awful player acquisitions we have seen in the last few years I think this is the worst by far, and I think Simpson is right up there with the worst of the others.

It is an abject failure of recruitment policy and a damning indictment of the club management.

Quote:

malco

Quote:

Bath Supporter Jack
Fine but that means Simpson has to be here................or a player of his ilk.
I think we can reasonably say we are not going to be iin the Top 4 this season and as there is no relegation we should be looking at our squad and getting the most out of the sub 25 year olds and we should be planning to be stronger next year and then competing really strongly in 2023 - 24..

Young players can't get experience without...........................err...........................playing. Cips and Simpson's primary job should be to ensure that Fax/Bailey are the best they can be in 12 - 18 months time.

Right. So go to Cipriani's beloved Instagram page and read how excited he is to be at a great club at this stage of his career, how he is completely dedicated to his fitness, how he is working flat out to pass his skills and knowledge on to young players and is desperate to see them reach their huge potential, winning stuff for Bath in the future.

Oh wait, there is not a single mention of Bath Rugby on his Instagram page.

Not one.

[instagram.com]

This is factually incorrect. On the 12th September Danny posted "...I'm excited now time to play some exciting rugby..."

On the 25th September Danny posted. "Making my debut at 17 years old feels like a lifetime ago. I've learnt so much along the way. I've throughly enjoyed taking a break away from the game, it's been a perfect way to replenish my mind, body and soul. It feel like I've finally managed to hit the reset button. Bath Rugby are a talented ambitious squad and I'm looking forward to being a part of this team. I've very grateful for this new challenge. I'm going to enjoy this journey. I'm ready. I'm excited."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:10:13:08:52:27 by Grumpy_Uncle _Iroh.

Bathmatt53 I'm afraid all you are doing is proving my point.

Green is 26 and is now 4th choice scrum half.

Why is he still here?

He should have been shipped out to a championship club two years ago.

The truth is that he's still here because we can't get anybody else.

His salary plus Chudley should have been used to bring in a Premiership standard second choice so that Fox could then have been gently brought into the side.

Terrible succession planning.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:10:13:09:57:00 by malco.

Quote:

malco
Terrible succession planning.

That we agree on. From the lockdown restart onwards Fox and / or Green should have been getting game time rather than twiddling their thumbs whilst Chudley was on the bench. I understand that Green was on loan from March but real short term thinking on both players.

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

Oh jeez another thread that descends into SoMeone endlessly banging one point over and over to everyone else about his position and how everybody should scroll black 5 aeons to check where his comma was. Give us a break buddy, this corner of the bar is thinning out . . . .

SQUAWK

Quote:

BathMatt53

Quote:

malco
Terrible succession planning.

That we agree on. From the lockdown restart onwards Fox and / or Green should have been getting game time rather than twiddling their thumbs whilst Chudley was on the bench. I understand that Green was on loan from March but real short term thinking on both players.

I am in the 'terribly succession planning' camp.

It goes wider but 9 is the perfect example. As you say crazy to keep picking an average player in his 30s who they knew was leaving.

I actually would have gone the route of letting green and chudley go if we could get someone better in. They clearly don't rate green, wonder if he will be below Simpson in the pecking order now.

Wasps getting hougaard was v shrewd- brilliant back up in an important position where 2 players tend to get game time every week.

There is a big gap between the rhetoric on blooding players at the right time on their terms and the reality. Basically they play young players when they have no other options, normally in an already weakened team.

Quote:

charlieboa
[ Wasps getting hougaard was v shrewd- brilliant back up in an important position where 2 players tend to get game time every week.

Not sure what he is on now but was reportedly on an eye watering amount at Worcester (£350k+) so would be surprised if the cap could have taken that given that he wouldn't play much when Spencer is fit. He is always in Instagram in his Lambo - imagine what people on here would have called him if he had joined!!

[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]

Quote:

charlieboa
There is a big gap between the rhetoric on blooding players at the right time on their terms and the reality. Basically they play young players when they have no other options, normally in an already weakened team.

You mean youngsters like Tom DeGlanville, Max Ojomoh, Will Butt, Cam Redpath, Ollie Fox, Miles Reid or Ewan Richards? - all of whom have played ahead of more experienced options
A man who cannot change his mind, cannot change anything

RAEBURN SHIELD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:10:15:12:44:40 by Which Tyler.

I think there are some examples where young guys have been managed ok such as tdg and Reid.

Ewan richards played his games in a wildly underpowered, injury ridden pack- not ideal and not in line with hoops comments.

Mojo made his debut when we had 13 men on the field- not ideal.

Bailey only played when we had no other options due to injuries.

Fox was criminally under used when we had chudley.

Redpath was signed as a prem ready option and is class- still got shunted to 13 for matavesi on occasions.

I am absolutely not saying we don't have lots of good young players who have played first team. I am saying hooper is talking nonsense sometimes when he says he waits for the ideal moment to blood them proactively. He could have played a lot of guys in amongst experienced players in winnable games which is what he says....but don't think it's the case personally. Too reactive in a lot he does. 9 is the perfect example- must have thought chudley was marginally better than 2 younger options so puts him in 23 every week at the expense of forward planning.

Quote:

BathMatt53

Quote:

charlieboa
[ Wasps getting hougaard was v shrewd- brilliant back up in an important position where 2 players tend to get game time every week.

Not sure what he is on now but was reportedly on an eye watering amount at Worcester (£350k+) so would be surprised if the cap could have taken that given that he wouldn't play much when Spencer is fit. He is always in Instagram in his Lambo - imagine what people on here would have called him if he had joined!!

Does he drive it wearing a robe and slippers though after a relaxing day at wasps Spa facilities?

Sure he will be on less now but just saying wasps find a way to pay for 2 very good options in a key decision making position. Their squad suffers elsewhere due to that I guess.

I also think it would benefit spencer- he plays the full 80 or close to most weeks.has looked done in at times. Hopefully now fox has finally been given a chance he will be trusted more. Carr- Smith is the one I have big hopes for.