Saracens Embarrass Poor Bath At The Rec

By Glen Leat
January 1 2005

Saracens moved to within 6 points of Bath after beating an embarrassingly under-performing home side 6-13 at the Rec. The weather was uncomfortably cold, windy and wet and managed to perfectly reflect the quality(sic) of play by Bath Rugby.

The world has witnessed a tragedy beyond compare this week and therefore anything written about rugby this week-end pales in to so much insignificance that one shouldn't even contemplate using bucket-loads of emotive language during this match report. I can't get my head around the concept of some 150,000 people all perishing (almost) at the same time in such terrifyingly horrific circumstances and therefore have to imagine the scale by thinking about, for example, the crowd capacity at Twickenham plus the citizens of Bath.

The minute silence before the match was well observed (as always at the Rec) and it gave us all a few moments to reflect on how lucky we are. Sometimes it is difficult during a match involving our beloved Bath to remember this is "only a game" and I know I've said to people in the past "No, it's more important than that!" But it isn't more important "than that". I walked out of the game fed up that our players could perform so far short of their abilities against a very average team. But at least I have a home to go to, money in my pocket, food in my belly: let's face it, losing to Sarries is not the end of the world!!

Hopeless and clueless in just about every department perhaps sums up Bath's performance! Bath never got going today. They looked sluggish throughout with the pack lumbering around the field like Vanessa Feltz after a large dinner. The backs were so disjointed and at odds with one another I'm sure John Connolly will be setting up a special Bath Rugby Contact Group next week with free introductions for all the players with 9 through to 15 on their backs. Matt Perry will be specifically told to get in the bath and start practicing holding a bar of soap before the next game.

Bath had opportunities to score other than two Olly Barkley penalties but, as we have seen for the past 18 months, the backs dance about like Morris Dancers round a Maypole. Perhaps if one of them learnt how to be the Hobby Horse we'd cross the line! How many opportunities must we have in front of an opponent's try line before we cross it?

Sarries scored the only try of the game just before the half-time break when Thomas Castaignede ran down the right touchline before sending Richard Haughton through with an overhead pass which saw the flying winger set up an easy conversion in front of the posts. Oh how we had chuckled when Sarries cocked up the restart kick after Barkley gave Bath a 3-0 lead after a few minutes. I've never before seen a kick-off spin back behind the kicker but it was Glenn Jackson who had the last laugh, unexpectedly leaving the Rec a winner.

Lee Mears was replaced by youngster Dave Ward after just a few minutes of the second half and the lad got stuck in a few times and made a few dashes up-field, though his legs looked leaden towards the end. I was impressed by how Steve Borthwick made Ward's line-out throws much simpler by opting for the short throw on every occasion, thus taking the pressure off the young hooker. If we could have transferred those leadership skills into playing ability throughout the team we would have won at a canter.

The ref took some stick and it has to be said Maybank is a fussy so-and-so, however he didn't lose the game for Bath or win it for Sarries.

Well done Sarries, you played poorly too, just not as poorly as Bath and you walked away with the spoils.

The thought of Leinster arriving at the Rec next week with their army of Irish stars fills me with dread after watching this game. They took us apart in Ireland and they could well do the same over here.

Dan Lyle was at the game, taking his family to watch "his" team. Couldn't have picked a worse game eh Dan, to show the folks from home the club where you made your name.

Right, gin time methinks.

Bath: Perry, Welsh, Crockett, Barkley, Daniel, Malone, Walshe, Barnes, Mears, Stevens, Borthwick, Grewcock, Beattie, Scaysbrook, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Ward, Bell, Fidler, Lipman, Williams, Davis, Maddock.

Saracens: Bartholomeusz; Haughton, Castaignede, Harris, Vaikona; Jackson, Bracken; Yates, Cairns, Visagie; Fullarton, Raiwalui; Randell, Seymour, Skirving
Replacements (from): Kyriacou, Lloyd, Chesney, Skirving, Williams, Sorrell, Bailey, Broster.

Referee: Roy Maybank