Let's All Back Danielli Fully In Colomiers!

By Glen Leat
January 9 2004

It's time for a rest from League action as we head on down to the South of France for our confrontation with Colomiers in the second round of the Parker Pen Cup. Sunday's game will be a real test for two Bath backs as they play well out of position!

Simon Danielli playing his first game for Bath at full-back is a slightly strange experience, but what about Ross Blake on the wing? Couldn't have predicted that! This really shows the desperation Bath face in their battle to get sufficient backs fit to turn out on the paddock. Mike Catt, Matt Perry, Iain Balshaw, Mike Tindall, Robbie Fleck, Brendon Daniel, Lee Best, Chris Malone and Spencer Davey are all injured whilst South African winger Wylie Human and Gareth Knox are ineligible having not been registered for the competition.

Coach John Connolly told the official website “Ross is getting into the wing mentality and has worked extremely hard this week on his positional play. I am sure that he will enjoy the experience.” 

We thought the days of utility players was a thing of the past but the Bath coaches are being forced to juggle their resources alarmingly. It really is a ludicrous situation for the rules of a competition to limit the use of fit players just because they could not be registered earlier in the year. Surely the simple rule of only playing for one team in a competition is sufficient. The sponsors will only want to support a successful competition and the current rules contribute to the possibility that supporters will not see the best teams available.

There is just one change to the pack that started against Rotherham last weekend. Prop Duncan Bell has been forced to withdraw due to a back strain, but Matt Stevens returns to the side having fully recovered from a shoulder injury sustained whilst playing for England against New Zealand last month.

For those of you lucky enough to be in France this week-end watch out for my  ex-ERE colleague, Clive Banks. Banksy is on the loose and dangerous in a foreign land and could do serious damage to a "horse" steak if he gets hold of one in the local restaurants.

15 Simon Danielli, 14 Andrew Higgins, 13 Kevin Maggs, 12 Alex Crockett, 11 Ross Blake, 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Martyn Wood, 1 David Flatman, 2 Jonathan Humphreys, 3 Matt Stevens, 4 Steve Borthwick, 5 Danny Grewcock , 6 Andy Beattie, 7 Michael Lipman, 8 Zak Feaunati.

16 Hentie Martens, 17 Lee Mears, 18 David Barnes, 19 Chris Goodman, 20 Scott Gray, 21 James Scaysbrook, 22 Rob Fidler.

If you can read French why not click here to see the Colomiers web site.