From Bath to Sale via Rotherham, what a week!

Er..wrong Dome!
By Loose Head
May 16 2002

A few months back, offered a double over Bath and finishing in 7th place, we have taken it gladly. WE scored three tries at the rec. Why then at the at of the game was there a bit of a low feeling?

The farcical manoeuvres by the RFU to try to appear fair with regards to Rotherham's promotion (or not, as the case may be) put a real downer on all the games. It will probably be the stuff of rugby columns over the summer as to where the blame lies - wicked gin swilling southerners or incompetent club management - but no-one comes out of this smelling of roses.

Rotherham's dominance of National 1 is not a surprise. They didn't come from behind and win all of a sudden. So why was it left to the last minute to see if their ground and facilities were up to scratch?

A combination of the RFU and Rotherham management has let the players and supporters down badly.

Leaving aside for the moment whether the stipulations were relevant, they were ok for the premiership a couple of years ago after all. But Rotherham were there with the original documents saying what would be required when they returned. Why didn't they and the RFU get together and sort something? It has been a failure in the administration of the game that makes everyone look stupid.

Up go the shouts about Wasps having no ground and why should we be allowed to stay in the premiership. Presumably the letter of the regulations has been met. More significantly though, Wasps should stay in the premiership for the same reason Rotherham should have been promoted, that's what the result on the rugby pitch determined.

Back to the game against Bath. Put simply we know the chaps can do better. It was a solid performance, and very physical looking at the number of injuries. Scrappy play made life difficult for ourselves. The centres just don't sparkle when Fraser isn't there. Sammo looks less than 100% fit. He was given the ball within the Bath 22 with acres of space outside his opposite number, but somehow he just didn't have the gas.

It all came down to a Bath conversion which, given events elsewhere being different, could have been the difference between Bath staying up or going down. An easy kick was missed and Bath must thank others for another year in the premiership.

Wasps are off to Sale in the great adventure of the play-offs. A daft system but it may still give us a back door into the senior European cup. However, it has to be done without LBND and Volls, both out with hand troubles. So into the back row goes the Dome, with Joe Worsley and Lock. If Dome can "do a Volls" on the Sale half backs early and often the game could be there for the taking. We narrowly missed out last time we met. The time before Hodgson wasn't put under any pressure and was allowed to put in whatever kick or move he liked. Volls and Sandie did repeated impersonations of exocets on Hodgson, and when battered he left and Robinson came into the fly half position for a move same thing happened. This is the sort of thing that needs to happen. If we have an afternoon of Cueoto and Robinson running free it will be a bit of a problem.

The prize is a home tie for the "semi-final" probably against Glozzer. Not an easy prospect, but with the winner going to Twikkers and also the European cup anything can happen.

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Loose Head