Quantcast

The COML Message Board

The place for discussion, debate and nonsense about Bath Rugby.

Join our new Facebook Group today!

New visitors please read the house rules before posting

Test your prognostications at our Prediction League


Injury Updates
Discussion started by by (IP Logged), 07 March, 2018 16:50
by
by
07 March, 2018 16:50
[www.bathchronicle.co.uk]

Negatives:
Underhill expected to be out for the rest of the season.
Z. Mercer out for 2-4 weeks with bone brusing on his neck.
Louw out for another 4-6 weeks with a groin injury picked up after recovering from knee surgery.
Burns still unavailable after spraining his wrist.
Garvey still recovering from fluid on his knee.

Positives:
Paul Grant fit and available for selection

dr.bath1865
dr.bath1865
07 March, 2018 16:57
It is just unbelievable. Light at the end of the tunnel... dimmed by yet more bad news. I suppose it's a chance for Bayliss to play in some big games and it'll be good to see Tom Ellis back.

I know this is analysed ad finitum but I wonder if it is purely bad luck? This last lot of injuries seem bad luck - foot trodden on, stiff neck from a match - but we just can't get any respite.

Interesting that in the 14/15 season when we got to the final our injury record was superb and we could field our full strength team for almost the last third of the season with key men like Louw, Ford, Joseph, Watson all available when it mattered. Quite different this year. I know we've got other problems - but the 20+ injury list, including our key, 'star' players, should never be discounted.

by
by
07 March, 2018 17:20
It is an almost unbelievable amount of bad luck, however Todd did say at the end of last season that if this season had a similar number of injuries then they would do an investigation into the S&C protocols.

We do seem to have a fair few injury prone players within the squad though, players with reoccurring injuries, Priestland has had troubles with his hamstrings, Ellis has torn his ACL 2 out of his 3 senior seasons, Louw has had troubles with his shoulder, Underhill with concussion, Jack Walker fracturing the same foot. But we also have players who seem to constantly pick up various injuries, Burns, Ewels, Clark, Charteris. Maybe we've got more than most teams but I'd still say that something is a miss with the S&C as both seasons under Todd we've seem to have gotten more lethargic as the season's gone on, perhaps the players are being over trained.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2018 17:30 by by.

ballsout
ballsout
07 March, 2018 18:22
Utterly ridiculous. A season to throw away and never speak of again.

MESSAGES->author
OutsideBath
07 March, 2018 18:26
If only we could fast forward to the end of this nightmare and get on with the summer.

Utterly pointless season of no value to Bath rugby.

Bathovalballer
Bathovalballer
07 March, 2018 19:15
You have to ask what is happening at the S&C side of the club. Are we rushing guys back too soon or are they just not fit enough for the rigours of the Prem League?

Obviously Underhill's injury is a huge blow to him personally and us as a club. Mercer the same.

I am perplexed Freddie is taking so long to recover from a sprained wrist. Must have involved some ligaments or something.

Great news about Ellis but he has also had his fair share of long term injury so sincerely hope he is really ready to go before we play him again.

I just wonder about Francois's long term playing career as he has sustained a number of significant injuries and you just wonder is his body beginning to protest after all his herculean efforts in recent seasons, both with Sough Africa and us. Get well soon Flo we need you badly.

john fox
johnnyf
07 March, 2018 19:27
That's simply ridiculous news.
How can others say that Bath haven't suffered more than most with injuries?

MESSAGES->author
Clarkey3k
07 March, 2018 20:33
Stone the crows, I'm not sure how much more of this seasons' bad news I can take!! I know it's the hope rather than despair that does one in but I'm now doubtful and despairing. I'll be there on Friday night with my head in my hands...



Adopted players: 23/24 O Lawrence; [23] J Cokanasiga; [22] M Green; [21] A Watson; [20] T Faletau; [19] M V Vuuren; [18] T Faletau; [17] D Denton; [16] H. Agulla; [15] L Houston; [14] W Spencer; [13] F. Louw

Family . Community . Nation - [sdp.org.uk]

My mind's been going places without me lately - Bushfire The B52's

dannyf2
dannyf2
07 March, 2018 20:57
Got a mate who has done the rounds of various clubs in S&C including Exeter and Saracens. He now trains Romanian special forces. He says the problem at our gaff is that the communication between players and S&C staff is not 100% open as players are worried about losing their spot in the side and play through niggles. Seems ironic when we are 20+ short and those playing are the only ones left standing! If true, they needn't worry about losing their spot!

P G Tips
P G Tips
07 March, 2018 21:10
BoB & By

I have wondered as you have if there is a specific Bath reason for the number of injuries we have suffered. I have only speculation -no answer, but as By states, the club know this is an issue and are looking to enhance the medical staff -see Supporters Forum thread.

PG

BathMatt53
BathMatt53
07 March, 2018 21:41
Quote:
dannyf2
Got a mate who has done the rounds of various clubs in S&C including Exeter and Saracens. He now trains Romanian special forces. He says the problem at our gaff is that the communication between players and S&C staff is not 100% open as players are worried about losing their spot in the side and play through niggles. Seems ironic when we are 20+ short and those playing are the only ones left standing! If true, they needn't worry about losing their spot!

Wow, I didn’t think that we were that competitive...That’s like a story from Leicester in the 90s!

dannyf2
dannyf2
07 March, 2018 21:48
Quote:
BathMatt53
Quote:
dannyf2
Got a mate who has done the rounds of various clubs in S&C including Exeter and Saracens. He now trains Romanian special forces. He says the problem at our gaff is that the communication between players and S&C staff is not 100% open as players are worried about losing their spot in the side and play through niggles. Seems ironic when we are 20+ short and those playing are the only ones left standing! If true, they needn't worry about losing their spot!

Wow, I didn’t think that we were that competitive...That’s like a story from Leicester in the 90s!

Ha yeah I agree - seems ridiculous in the current state of affairs but I suppose the rot starts somewhere. He says Exeter don't struggle because the staff and players have such positive open relationships, so the monitoring is better.

sirtidychris
sirtidychris
07 March, 2018 22:12
Yes this is an unbelievable amount of injuries, but as soon as we get to match day everyone forgets and thinks it's an utter outrage when we don't win and wants a clear out top to bottom. Mid week injury outrage, weekend losing the game Outrage...they are connected sheeple.

Bath Hammer
Bath Hammer
08 March, 2018 04:13
Quote:
sirtidychris
Yes this is an unbelievable amount of injuries, but as soon as we get to match day everyone forgets and thinks it's an utter outrage when we don't win and wants a clear out top to bottom. Mid week injury outrage, weekend losing the game Outrage...they are connected sheeple.

It is too simplistic to excuse all defeats, whatever their manner, on injuries.

Bath Hammer
Bath Hammer
08 March, 2018 04:31
I think what is so infuriating for the supporters are the unusual & varied nature of some of these injuries, the suddenness of them coming to light during training sessions or down time & how certain players seem so fragile, experiencing regular sequences of injuries. The likes of Underhill, Louw & Burns seem to hardly ever be available. Some thought we would be better off for fly half cover but because Ford is hardly ever injured he is worth a great deal to a team even allowing for international appearances. It is difficult to comprehend & there is only so much the average supporter can take.

MESSAGES->author
joethefanatic
08 March, 2018 06:28
It's notable that the Tigs' upturn in form has co-incided with George being away with England.



... IMHO, of course.

Now in Honolulu

BathMatt53
BathMatt53
08 March, 2018 06:34
Agree about fragile - there are some players (Bowden comes to mind) that are just susceptible to injuries. Trinder and Tuilangi appear to be on a run and are hopefully through theirs. Max Clark is also a young lad who rarely seems to be able to play more than a couple of games and yet players like Hurrell (and Ford) appear bombproof. That’s why I couldn’t believe we were interested in Te’o? Agree with BoB in relation to Louw - his body has just been battered for a decade with few breaks apart from injury so it’s no huge surprise he is struggling.

MESSAGES->author
shipwrecked
08 March, 2018 10:06
Quote:
joethefanatic
It's notable that the Tigs' upturn in form has co-incided with George being away with England.

Matt Toomua has done wonders there, question is does GF just walk back in? On the injury front you would expect GF to be injured less than Manu Tualagi wouldn't you by virtue of their physical involvement in the game. (See how I worded that!)

MESSAGES->author
shipwrecked
08 March, 2018 10:11
Quote:
P G Tips
BoB & By
I have wondered as you have if there is a specific Bath reason for the number of injuries we have suffered. I have only speculation -no answer, but as By states, the club know this is an issue and are looking to enhance the medical staff -see Supporters Forum thread.

PG

Its clear that the club are concerned, You have to ask the question though does the amount of fixtures play a role when tiredness and injury have a direct link.

I don't suppose that came up in your session PGT did it?

BathMatt53
BathMatt53
08 March, 2018 10:15
Quote:
joethefanatic
It's notable that the Tigs' upturn in form has co-incided with George being away with England.

...and Ben Youngs!

Bathovalballer
Bathovalballer
08 March, 2018 10:58
How/why Youngs gets picked over someone like Robson is a mystery to me. He is slow doesn't offer much running threat and his passing is average at best. Robson may not be the finished article but he is infinitely better all round especially this season.

opti
Optimist
08 March, 2018 11:19
I think Eddie decided that scrum-halves just get better with experience, so he decided to pick Youngs/Care and just stick with them, so that eventually, by the simple fact of having played 70-80 games their experience would iron out any inconsistency, and that would outweigh another player's advantages.

Which was fine, until Youngs got injured. A 35 year-old box-kicker as impact sub is just laughable, but it would be a kick in the teeth for Care to drop him back to the bench - which gives the lie to the 'finishers' hype. On the bench means 'sub' and you can't dress that up any other way.

Old Bath Tub
Old Bath Tub
08 March, 2018 11:34
Quote:
Bath Hammer
I think what is so infuriating for the supporters are the unusual & varied nature of some of these injuries, the suddenness of them coming to light during training sessions or down time & how certain players seem so fragile, experiencing regular sequences of injuries. The likes of Underhill, Louw & Burns seem to hardly ever be available. Some thought we would be better off for fly half cover but because Ford is hardly ever injured he is worth a great deal to a team even allowing for international appearances. It is difficult to comprehend & there is only so much the average supporter can take.

Agree, according to reports 'someone trod on Sam Underhill's big toe'and it's flared up !

cb2
cb2
08 March, 2018 11:36
Robson does not have a good enough kicking game for modern test rugby. Youngs does and Care has improved to get just the right side of the borderline.

opti
Optimist
08 March, 2018 11:49
Is that what modern test rugby has come down to? Box-kicking. Care's use of his boot reached near-genius levels earlier in the season with Quins, but test rugby is just so f'ing formulaic that he's only allowed to deploy the chips and dinks in the last 5 minutes of a game.

MESSAGES->author
OutsideBath
08 March, 2018 12:08
Strange that Bath players rarely (if ever) come back from injury ahead of schedule. Other clubs seem to be able to get their players recovered quicker and somehow reduce the amount of injuries.

Can't all be down to bad luck for Bath as this isn't the first write off season due to injuries.

BathMatt53
BathMatt53
08 March, 2018 12:23
Priestland is ahead of schedule

dr.bath1865
dr.bath1865
08 March, 2018 12:35
As was Faletau.

dr.bath1865
dr.bath1865
08 March, 2018 12:39
If you want to look for the smallest silver lining, I suppose next season we're going to have a deeper and more experienced squad as young guys like Obano, Douglas, Bayliss, Mercer and Atkins, as well as the slightly older squad players, like Dunn, Stooke and Grant, have all played more rugby than they would have been expecting too. So that's good!

I said it was only a small silver lining and our improved squad depth does rely on us replacing the players we're losing.

MESSAGES->author
hemington
08 March, 2018 16:12
Quote:
dr.bath1865
If you want to look for the smallest silver lining, I suppose next season we're going to have a deeper and more experienced squad as young guys like Obano, Douglas, Bayliss, Mercer and Atkins, as well as the slightly older squad players, like Dunn, Stooke and Grant, have all played more rugby than they would have been expecting too. So that's good!
I said it was only a small silver lining and our improved squad depth does rely on us replacing the players we're losing.

And players keeping healthy!!

Bath Hammer
Bath Hammer
09 March, 2018 05:59
Quote:
hemington
Quote:
dr.bath1865
If you want to look for the smallest silver lining, I suppose next season we're going to have a deeper and more experienced squad as young guys like Obano, Douglas, Bayliss, Mercer and Atkins, as well as the slightly older squad players, like Dunn, Stooke and Grant, have all played more rugby than they would have been expecting too. So that's good!
I said it was only a small silver lining and our improved squad depth does rely on us replacing the players we're losing.

And players keeping healthy!!

Exactly. Firstly, the comment about younger players having gained invaluable experience was made last season & is true but however much these players improve this is overshadowed by other factors. The most important is a significant improvement in player availability i.e. avoidance of injury & other mishaps that our players seem so prone to acquire, as often as not in training or during down time. Secondly, in the knowledge that this will always be a major challenge, we need a larger more evenly balanced squad probably with fewer super stars. Thirdly we need a consistent & enduring game plan with built in flexibility of options that is bought in & understood by ALL the players & can be employed whoever takes the field. We need to be ticking all those boxes in my view to have an real chance of becoming a top 4 side.

Bathovalballer
Bathovalballer
09 March, 2018 10:13
Totally agree with your summation Bath Hammer. Particularly about having a Club game plan ALL the players tie into, know and are comfortable with, and certainly it should help to improve consistency and help eliminate errors. And even we lost 1/2 super stars, so be it as long as we had a larger squad of similarly effective players, like Newcastle for example, in time we are likely to see much better results. Having a larger squad also should enable us to rest up those with injuries and not force people to play who may not be fully fit.

Beergoggles
Beergoggles
09 March, 2018 10:49
Quote:
BathOvalBaller
And even we lost 1/2 super stars, so be it as long as we had a larger squad of similarly effective players, like Newcastle for example, in time we are likely to see much better results.

Who are these super stars that we don't want then ? I can only think of Toby F and Francois (but he's been here ages and worth every penny). All for having similarly effective players on 'non super star' wages but assume its not that easy to achieve.

WRT to squad size I count 48 playing or injured in the Bath squad at the moment. How big a squad would we need to be successful with this year's rate of injuries ?

Danchinho
Danchinho
09 March, 2018 10:51
I like Bayliss a lot so i'm glad he'll get more time on the pitch. Will be good to see Ellis back to. Hopefully he can get up to speed nice and quick.
We really seem to have a good academy for forwards but practically nothing from backs. Glad Atkins to getting more time but one swallow is a long way from a summer.



I probably don't know what i'm talking about.

dr.bath1865
dr.bath1865
09 March, 2018 11:10
9 of the 23 tonight are Academy graduates. That's impressive and heartening.

MESSAGES->author
OutsideBath
09 March, 2018 11:12
Quote:
Beergoggles
Quote:
BathOvalBaller
And even we lost 1/2 super stars, so be it as long as we had a larger squad of similarly effective players, like Newcastle for example, in time we are likely to see much better results.

Who are these super stars that we don't want then ? I can only think of Toby F and Francois (but he's been here ages and worth every penny). All for having similarly effective players on 'non super star' wages but assume its not that easy to achieve.

WRT to squad size I count 48 playing or injured in the Bath squad at the moment. How big a squad would we need to be successful with this year's rate of injuries ?

Given Bath's terrible run of injuries over the last couple of seasons I reckon a squad size of 75 should just about cover it. Might cause us a few issues with the salary cap though.

opti
Optimist
09 March, 2018 11:33
Quote:
dr.bath1865
9 of the 23 tonight are Academy graduates. That's impressive and heartening.

Hate to be cynical, but if you break it down a bit, it's more like 7, and if you look at their ages, it's less than one graduate per year. I still get the feeling that the production and identification of talent from within Somerset/Dorset/Wilts is not (or maybe has not in the past, been) functioning optimally.

Josh Bayliss, 21
Darren Atkins, 21
Charlie Ewels, 22
Tom Ellis, 23

Beno Obano (Wasps Academy)
Levi Douglas (Saracens Academy)


Chris Cook, 26
Henry Thomas, 26
Nathan Catt, 30

dr.bath1865
dr.bath1865
09 March, 2018 11:48
Douglas and Obano were in our Academy and have recently graduated to senior status, so they are still products of our Academy. Although take your point, Opti.

Also, in our first choice European Cup Final XXIII, I'm not sure how many Academy graduates would make the cut. Cook, Obano, Catt, Thomas, Ewels. So 5 perhaps. Which is ok I suppose.

BathMatt53
BathMatt53
09 March, 2018 11:56
Tom 'chop tackle' Dunn was pulled from Chippenham RFC - was he in academy or straight into the 1st squad? Either way he is from the area and would be my fist choice hooker. How far away from the 1st 23 would Zach Mercer be I wonder?

dr.bath1865
dr.bath1865
09 March, 2018 12:09
Good point, BM. Dunn would be in and I'm pretty sure he was in the Academy.

Zach wouldn't make my squad! It'd be Garvey, Louw, Faletau, with Underhill on the bench. An embarrassment of riches IF they're ever all fit and available.

Beergoggles
Beergoggles
09 March, 2018 12:20
Quote:
BathMatt53
Tom 'chop tackle' Dunn was pulled from Chippenham RFC - was he in academy or straight into the 1st squad? Either way he is from the area and would be my fist choice hooker. How far away from the 1st 23 would Zach Mercer be I wonder?

Definitely in the 23 for me, not in the starting 15 though. Assuming no injuries ....

The key question for me is how many of those starting 15 are really good enough to win stuff, feels light at lock, half back, and at the centres.

1. Beno
2. Dunn
3. Thomas
4. Stooke (would have been Attwood)
5. Charteris
6. Garvey
7. Louw
8. Toby
9. Kahn
10. Priestland
11. Roko
12. Taps
13. JJ
14. Banners
15. Watson

16. Max
17. Batty
18. Catt
19. Ewels
20. Mercer
21. Cook
22. Burns
23. Homer

Bath Hammer
Bath Hammer
09 March, 2018 12:55
When I talk about a larger evenly balanced squad I am not talking about too many more so you can obviously never be sure it is enough but it might at least help the situation & avoid the need for so many stop gaps & overplaying the likes of Brew when not fully fit. When I say fewer superstars I am not saying none & I am not talking about specific individuals but if it helps the overall salary bill so be it. We made a massive effort to sign Underhill & whilst I accept he has been unlucky with injuries are we that much better off having him in the squad? I also think we should pay more attention to players previous injury record before signing them.

opti
Optimist
09 March, 2018 13:31
2 locals in Beergoggles' starting XV, 4 more on the bench. Beno and Mercer both brought into our Academy from out of the area.

I'm not saying there's much wrong with that if we can identify talent that other Academies value less highly, or they happen to be overstocked in a particular position - that's happened to us plenty - we seem to have supplied most clubs in the AV with a hooker at some point.

But the absolute sweet-spot of a player for me, is that they came through the Somerset or Dorset & Wilts teams or went directly into the Bath EPDG. Of ours the only one i know of is Atkins, and even he came up through Winscombe, so he could equally be claimed by Glos or Bris.

I'm just interested to know if there is a problem with our catchment area, given that we have more London Irish products in this 1st choice starting XV than Bath. Is it smaller than other Academy catchments? Is Bath not nurturing or identifying the talent. Do players not stay with Bath? Or is the problem just imagined.

BathMatt53
BathMatt53
09 March, 2018 13:50
Quote:
Optimist
2 locals in Beergoggles' starting XV, 4 more on the bench. Beno and Mercer both brought into our Academy from out of the area.
I'm not saying there's much wrong with that if we can identify talent that other Academies value less highly, or they happen to be overstocked in a particular position - that's happened to us plenty - we seem to have supplied most clubs in the AV with a hooker at some point.

But the absolute sweet-spot of a player for me, is that they came through the Somerset or Dorset & Wilts teams or went directly into the Bath EPDG. Of ours the only one i know of is Atkins, and even he came up through Winscombe, so he could equally be claimed by Glos or Bris.

I'm just interested to know if there is a problem with our catchment area, given that we have more London Irish products in this 1st choice starting XV than Bath. Is it smaller than other Academy catchments? Is Bath not nurturing or identifying the talent. Do players not stay with Bath? Or is the problem just imagined.

Are we counting Burns BTW? Beechen Cliff, Avon and Oldfield, Bath Academy then Glos full contract...

opti
Optimist
09 March, 2018 13:54
Yep - Catt, Ewels, Cook, Burns on the bench. I don't count Mercer because he was brought to the area by Bath, accommodation provided by Millfield.

BathMatt53
BathMatt53
09 March, 2018 14:01
Henry Thomas? I think that he went to Sale when he left school (i.e. for Uni) but was at Bath before that (and Millfield?).

Boldangrey
Boldangrey
09 March, 2018 14:22
Mallet is the club's 'agent' at Millfield doubtless doing a lot of spotting and smoothing the way to scholarships.

opti
Optimist
09 March, 2018 14:32
Quote:
Boldangrey
Mallet is the club's 'agent' at Millfield doubtless doing a lot of spotting and smoothing the way to scholarships.

Hasn't that been half the problem in the past? Rather than scouring the entire area, the Bath's 'scouts' job would consist of ringing up Shep and asking 'who have you got for me?'

That's why the Beechen Cliff set-up is so exciting. Interesting that Millfield's results have gone down the pan this year. Coincidence?

Bath Supporter Jack
Bath Supporter Jack
09 March, 2018 17:12
Millfield and also Bryanston have reduced the number and scale of rugby scholarships as parents were upset that "little Johnnie" was a fixture in the top team in the age groups all the way through and then out of the blue an England U16 player would turn up with a 105% scholarship in Lower Sixth and "nick" his place in the team!

B4thB4ck
B4thB4ck
09 March, 2018 17:26
Excuse my ignorance of private schools, but what is a 105% scholarship? Where does the 5% extra go?

Bathovalballer
Bathovalballer
09 March, 2018 22:50
It would appear sadly that Chris Cooke will be added to our injury list. It looked serious when he was stretchered off at the end of the game. I saw him come out of a high tackle, hold his head then collapse to the ground. Didn't look good and the full neck and head protocols were in use by the medics. Very best of luck Chris and don't rush and hope you are ok.

by
by
09 March, 2018 23:46
We have some very good back row options, I'd like to see Underhill, Louw and Faletau play together, Mercer or Grant to the bench.

Bath Hammer
Bath Hammer
10 March, 2018 03:46
Quote:
B4thB4ck
Excuse my ignorance of private schools, but what is a 105% scholarship? Where does the 5% extra go?

I wouldn’t have thought his maths were up to much (Sm100)

MESSAGES->author
shipwrecked
10 March, 2018 09:58
Quote:
by
We have some very good back row options, I'd like to see Underhill, Louw and Faletau play together, Mercer or Grant to the bench.

Very true By, add Ellis to that list too.

MESSAGES->author
shipwrecked
10 March, 2018 10:37
Oh and Josh Bayliss as well!

ken_jnr
ken_jnr
10 March, 2018 10:47
Quote:
by
We have some very good back row options, I'd like to see Underhill, Louw and Faletau play together, Mercer or Grant to the bench.

Would not surprise me if we never saw that trio. Underhill our for the season, Flouw seems like he has reached an age where the mind is willing but the body is not and Faletau has been doing a passable Warburton impression of being fit just in time for the internationals.

I don’t mean to sound like I am being critical/blaming anyone for any of that, because I am not. It just feels like it is fated not to be. In fact in almost two seasons, I wonder how many times Flouw and Faletau have started together?

B4thB4ck
B4thB4ck
10 March, 2018 11:06
It does feel like modern players have a shorter shelf life and some of ours have been left out of the fridge for a while.

Wilko managed to get his body back on track in France but I guess when you are a back row adapting a softer tackling technique is not really an option.


Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net