Bath Go Fishing For Tries Against The Sharks

Olly In Form
By Glen Leat
April 1 2004

Bath welcome Sale to the Rec on Saturday and the returning internationals start another "must win" game for the home side if they are to keep Wasps at bay in the final run in for top spot. The last three encounters at the Rec between these two teams have been very close.

Bath have narrowly beaten London Irish two weeks running: 21-20 at the Madejski Stadium, and 23-21 at The Rec and another win, against Sale Sharks, will guarantee a place in the post-season Zurich Premiership playoffs. Our only defeat at home in the past 12 months was 6-10 to Wasps on 7 February; we've secured 34 league points from our nine home matches so far, despite only scoring 16 tries. This lack of tries (and therefore bonus points) could find Bath out come the end of season so we really need the returning stars to do the business this week-end.

Sale have won their last three matches against Saracens and Leeds in the Cup and Gloucester in the Zurich Premiership, but have not won four successive competitive matches since May 2002 so history is on our side. Away from home the Sharks have won just once since they knocked Leicester out of the cup last November - when they beat Leinster 23-22 at Lansdowne Road in the European Cup on 9 January.

I think Bath will do just enough once again to steal this game but just by 5 or 6 points.

Possible Bath Team
15 Mike Catt 14 Wylie Human 13 Kevin Maggs 12 Mike Tindall/Andrew Higgins 11 Simon Danielli 10 Olly Barkley 9 Martin Wood 1 David Flatman 2 Jonathan Humphreys 3 Duncan Bell 4 Steve Borthwick 5 Danny Grewcock/Rob Fidler 6 Andy Beattie 7 Michael Lipman 8 Zak Feaunati

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Photo courtesy of  CW Sports Photo Agency

Click on to the Sale Sharks site for their perspective on things.

Click here to read about the away encounter between Bath and Sale earlier this season..

Click here to see the latest league table.

In preparation for this clash let's have a look at a few recent statistics:

Biggest Win

Last Meetings (Bath scores first)