Bath Look To Book Trip To Final

Support Bath
By Glen Leat
April 24 2003

Bath welcome Saracens to the Rec for the second leg of the Parker Pen Cup semi-final following a 38-30 win for the Sarries at Watford before Easter. This is a unwanted distraction from the main goal of staying in the Premiership but a win will be a confidence booster for the Bristol game.

Don't even contemplate what will happen to the Bath player's confidence should we lose to Saracens but given their recent form we should be able to take the spoils given our reasonable home form. The really good news to prepare us for this match is that Iain Balshaw is back in the starting line up and his presence should provide that bit of sparkle our backs have been lacking all year; of course we can't expect too much of the bloke because there's all this match fitness stuff to think about and we certainly don't want him to knacker himself in advance of the two Premiership games. Balshaw last played in January when he suffered a shoulder injury in the quarter-final second leg victory over Montauban.

There are a few changes to the squad with Mike Tindall rejoining the team after recovering from a foot injury. In the forwards Andy Lloyd drops out through injury and Jonathan Humphreys must serve a one-match ban after collecting three yellow cards.

Coaches Mike Foley and Brian Smith are confident they have done enough to prepare Bath for victory. “I think that you need to concentrate on doing things well and not worry about the points difference,” said Foley. “We need to get on the front foot, break the advantage line, and retain possession as we did in the second leg of the matches against Bridgend and Montauban.”

Backs: Iain Balshaw, Olly Barkley, Ross Blake, Gareth Cooper, Kevin Maggs, Chris Malone, Matt Perry, Elvis Seveali’i, Mike Tindall, Tom Voyce.

Forwards: David Barnes, Andy Beattie, Steve Borthwick, Gareth Delve, Alessio Galasso, Danny Grewcock, Andy Long, John Mallett, Lee Mears, James Scaysbrook, Matt Stevens, Gavin Thomas, Nathan Thomas.

Click here to remind yourself about the last match against Sarries.

Click on to the Saracens site for their perspective on things.