Preview: Bath vs Harlequins
By Wyddy
November 21 2012
The Premiership is back and so am I! Bath time! It’s time for us to swing back to that forgotten competition... the Premiership. When we left off for the Autumn International break, Quins had stuttered into 1st place by merit of bonus points picked up at the beginning of the season. Not really finding top gear and making it to the top of the table is no mean feat. However this Friday (curse you fixture police!), they will face a Bath side who have lost very few to the Autumn Internationals.
Bath have had an up and down start to the season, however they linger only 8 pts off the top of the table in 7th place, even after a shambolic loss to London Welsh where they played a stifling game plan only to be undone by an unusually inventive pass by Donald which was picked off for an interception score at the end of the game. They have however uncovered Karl Eastmond as a serious prospect, and young Heathcote is coming to the fore again when replacing World Cup Winner TM, Stephen Donald. A lot of attention is bound to fall on the Evans vs Donald match up, however I think most neutral fans - and maybe some Bath fans after the Welsh debacle, would call that easily in favour of the Quins man.
Quins will be turning up this weekend without their England contingent, Care, Robshaw, and Brown plus Johnstone and Fa’asavalu who are with Samoa, whilst Barf will be without Wilson, Hipkiss, Agulla, Flo, James, Fearns and Skivington for a variety of reasons. However Quins welcome back George Lowe from injury and the England boys, Robson, Ugo, Jordan Turner-Hall and the injured Marler. Expect Quins to play their strongest available line up with the Bath game surely identified as a must-win on the season roadmap.
It is up front where Quins will feel the strain. Even though a young Quins pack managed to get the upper hand against a fairly experienced Bath team last Friday, in the LV. The league game will be a different prospect, Quins will again be without their 2 first choice props as arguably so will Bath. However if the LV Cup game was anything to go by Quins hold the upper hand here after spearing straight through the Bath unit on at least one occasion at the set piece. Quins will look to Collier, Gray and Sinckler at the coal face, expect Kohn to return alongside Robson in a first choice 2nd row. The back row unit shorn of Robshaw and Fa’asavalu will probably feature LV Captain, Luke Wallace alongside Tom Guest and Englands best No8, magic hands, Nick Easter.
Bath are still stuck with much of the same pack that failed last week, and sorely miss on form Francois Louw in the back row. However many Bath fans are seeing this as an opportunity for a few of their youngsters, whilst they suffered last week they still have the ballast and experience that Attwood, Day and Taylor provide. Add to that the much touted Josh Ovens in the back row, if the management are brave enough, and there are reasons to believe that scrum time won’t be so painful for them this weekend. Their likely props, Beech and Perenise (yellow carded last week), could struggle with the perceived Quins reserves, Collier is solid, and Sinckler has shown he can create impact in the loose, however both sets are relatively low on experience as partnerships and it will be interesting to see if the hookers can have an impact on this front row battle, particularly with Mears more than likely replacing notorious pantomime villain, Sharman.
Moving to the backs, and Karl Dickson will play at 9 with Nick Evans ousting Botica (possibly injured) at fly half, the centres will likely see Jordan Turner-Hall with Matt Hopper as George Lowe continues his recovery from an 8 week lay off. On the wings, Harlequins are boosted by the surprise return of Ugo Monye, as Stuart Lancaster meets South Africa with one recognised winger, Ugo will be joined by Smith or Stegmann on what is usually Tom Williams wing as he moves to fullback to cover the absence of Mike Brown (who will probably be used as a winger by England. Criminal).
Bath have been scrapping together some decent results in recent weeks, 2 bonus point wins in the Challenge Cup, and confidence should be high in the camp that they can do a number on their friends from London. However international call ups and injuries mean they haven’t got many cards to play. Expect Claessens as usual to be the main pivot for them, dictating from behind the forwards, and here’s hoping they play Donald (WC Winner TM) as he struggled to get their potent backline moving. Young Heathcote, the new great Jock hope, in my eyes is a more dangerous player at the moment as he plays a flatter line than Donald and brings the centres straight into the game. The Bath backline has some serious quality and unless the Quins defence is on song, there is the potential for busting runs by Banahan from the centres, not to mention the verve of young Eastmond on the wing who takes some stopping. Then you have the enigma that is Briggs, so good with the ball and yet without it his positioning and drift defence without the ball seems to put a lot of pressure on Nick Abendanon at full back, who continues to be a pillar of strength for Bath.
The LV game was particularly turgid, a kick fest, the weather for Friday evening bodes ill, which could drag us into another boot fest. This will suit neither team particularly well, but if the weather is wet and windy round the Rec, look for Nick Easter to dictate the Quins play in the loose.
Much changed teams for both sides, however I think the Quins replacements will have the confidence from last weeks win along with the returning experience and nous of the (nearly) England mob to get a result up at the Rec.
Quins by 7pts.
COYQ!!!
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Who's this Karl Eastmond fella?
Quote:RodneyRegis
Yes, but who's Karl?
Kyle is a very gifted rugby league import who spent the first season getting a few injuties out of the way. When allowed freedom of expression he is a real handful, and an exciting player to watch.
However of late he and Biggs have been mainly used by Bath for decorative purposes since they never receive the ball, which kind of makes it difficult to fulfil their roles.
I trust you'll all enjoy the views from the Rec, but I'm not sure that what you watch on the paddock will give you the most gratification given GG and crews' offerings so far this season!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:11:22:09:20:29 by Bod.
Bath played a very direct physical style of rugby last week and I don't expect that to change this week. There wasn't much subtlety about it. Abendenon may give them some variety, but the weather may have more say on the way the game is played. With Robson, Kohn and Easter back I expect us to front up and neutralise their hard running players and we should secure enough set piece ball to get the win.
Quote:BodQuote:RodneyRegis
Yes, but who's Karl?
Kyle is a very gifted rugby league import who spent the first season getting a few injuties out of the way. When allowed freedom of expression he is a real handful, and an exciting player to watch.
However of late he and Biggs have been mainly used by Bath for decorative purposes since they never receive the ball, which kind of makes it difficult to fulfil their roles.
I trust you'll all enjoy the views from the Rec, but I'm not sure that what you watch on the paddock will give you the most gratification given GG and crews' offerings so far this season!
I KNOW WHO KYLE EASTMOND IS. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF KARL
The Weather for Friday is Dry, Sunny and 10 degrees, being dry in the evening too. Fear not, all is well!
[www.bbc.co.uk]
The game's afoot;
Follow your spirit: and upon this charge,
Cry — God for Harry! England and Saint George
Quote:Wyddy
RR no need to slam a Bath-ite just cos he's trying to be nice and explain. Knock me for a first name error by all means however!
He's sweet Wyddy! You know how these "Good Ole Boys" are!
