Seemed that we took a complete hiding at the breakdown on Saturday. Is that because we're not committing numbers, choosing not to compete, don't have the players with the skills to compete, aren't working hard enough to get to the breakdown quickly enough, all of the above ?

Also noticed on Saturday numerous times when Exe were so aggressive at the breakdown that they were actually clearing out Bath players before they joined the ruck (i.e were stopping Bath players getting to the ruck). Is that legal ?

Its not legal but its often unnoticed by the referee. In fact you can hear Garvey complain to the referee about it when FB was taking the penalty in the first half.

Poor old Zach was outmuscled on Saturday I thought - good as he is at tackling and also in broken play he was stripped and generally battered by the physically much larger guys such as Kvesic. Im a big fan of Zach but for bruising games like that it will be good to get Ellis back as well as the International guys IMO.

Without Underhill, Louw and Faletau our three (world class) break down technicians, we were likely always going to struggle. Not an excuse. But a reason we were second best.

I’d love to see 5 Garvey 6 Louw 7 Underhill 8 Faletau at some point, likely for the last half hour at some point in the next month. Could be interesting to see what havoc they could cause.

Z. Mercer is not a 7, hes an 8, he thrives in those wide channels.

By the way Grant made 30 tackles on Saturday without missing a single one, according to the chronicle.

Having watched the game and seen you often this season, you are a very good defensive team that is a split second can be on the attack with some awesome backs.

For me your line speed was terrible on Saturday, you allowed Exeter to come to you rather than getting into Exeter's faces, you gave them time and with the new laws its very difficult to compete at the breakdown, allowing Exeter to go through the phases. The one thing I hate about Exeter is how they are allowed to clear the ruck, coming off their feet on numerous occasions, also going through the ruck and clearing players out who are not even in the ruck, stopping them from joining the ruck.

It's hard to watch your team lose but i'm pretty sure you will win considerably then you will lose.

Good luck against Toulon and i hope you stuff them, especially with that idiot Ashton in the team

Here's my 2p worth as to why I think we are coming second best at the breakdown in multiple matches...

Todd has introduced a system where the forwards are spread out across the field in defence, each has a role to play and it seems that the backrow tend to be used more in the wide channels (some teams use a 2-4-2 system, not sure Bath are exactly doing this). What is evident is that the forwards in the middle of the pitch tend to be props and second rows. For Bath these players do not compete at the breakdown very often on opposition ball. We are therefore letting our opponents keep their ball rather than trying to turn them over or slow them down, especially on attacks up the middle. The consequence, we have little possession (very much reflected in the stats from most games) and we let our opponents run through many many phases. Where it is working (not against Exeter) is the defensive shift those players put in whilst closing down an attack. Tackles are rarely missed, and our opponents find it hard to make ground. However, because the midfield contains big less mobile units, we become vulnerable to a fast offloading game. Props and 2nd rows, great at going forward in defence are not so quick to change direction when a hole needs filling at the tackle. This may be an over simplistic assessment of the problems and other factors may be at play, but I have seen these scenarios play out in many of our games.

Didn't watch the game but last season we deliberately didn't compete at breakdown when playing with 0 locks if I remember correctly

Why was Garvey whingeing to JP Doyle and not telling his troops to do exactly the same. It might be illegal, but at least it would have helped stop Exeter's dominance and also show we are not going to be pushed around and bullied.

All sides clear out players at rucks as it gives the scrum half clean quick ball and mean we have the tacklers out of the game. This is one way of meeting fire with fire. You would think the players would want to stand up to the opposition and surely they as professionals don't have to be taught how to be streetwise? All players play the ref and his interpretation of the rules.

BoB is your vision of Bath's future a team of youngsters that goes round smashing the opposition with our team members repeatedly arguing with the officials? I can see you are trying to make a point but it bears no relation to reality.

Its not even a model that resembles your paragons Exeter.

We didn't have an offloading game against Exe either - hitting it up one at a time = easy pickings for the likes of Kvesic...!

I hope we put up a better attacking/defensive game this weekend or else I will have wasted an Away trip!!!

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Adopted Players
2017-18: Sam Underhill
2016-17: Will Homer

Ex are not the only ones going through -or beyond- the ruck and clearing players out (which is obstruction, NOT rucking) but they are probably more subtle than others.

They seem to be the masters of getting away with going off their feet though - again not the only ones, but seemingly the least penalised.


PG

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P G Tips



Alex Davies: my adopted Player, 2018-19.

Quote:

plong
We didn't have an offloading game against Exe either - hitting it up one at a time = easy pickings for the likes of Kvesic...!
I hope we put up a better attacking/defensive game this weekend or else I will have wasted an Away trip!!!

A trip to Toulon is never a wasted journey. I'll be there despite the fact I fully expect a heavy defeat after what I witnessed last week.

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Tom Dunn - Adopted player 2018/19