By P G Tips
October 13 2015
The first match of a new Premiership season is often a mixture of eager anticipation and anxious foreboding. With Exeter Chiefs the visitors to the Rec, next Saturday’s opener promises to be more so than most. It is not just last Saturday’s result that should quicken the pulse. Exeter have recently become the second love for many Bath supporters – partly due to West Country location but more so to their all action and positive style. Their blitzkrieg approach to attack certainly paid dividends in their 16-43 humbling of Bath last week. To add to that, England’s early exit from the World Cup leaves the Rec encounter dripping with sub plots. The Mike Ford/Rob Baxter coaching duel could spark press interest in who should succeed Stuart Lancaster, despite both men ruling themselves out of the running. The players too are potential fuel for “what ifs” and “what might have beens”: both those who made the squad and those who didn’t. Would England’s underpowered pack have benefited from Attwood & Ewers? Should Eastmond have had a place instead of Burgess? What if Henry Slade had been given a fair crack of the whip? So- what sort of match should we expect: a feast or frugal fare?
As always, fan interest early in the week will centre on who will be selected. World Cup returnees could significantly strengthen both teams. Exeter have reinforced their pack- raiding Leicester for Julian Salvi & Geoff Parling, although- heavily used by England, Parling may well be given a rest. One player they are likely to field is Salvi who alongside Dave Ewers will be expected to win plenty of turnovers. Between these two is Thomas Waldrom, who seemed when leaving Tigers to have a distinct preference for turnovers of the apple variety. Rob Baxter however has helped him find the true spirit of “Thomas the Tank Engine”, very capable of shunting straight through the buffers to score as he did on many occasions last season. With the ever bustling Luke Cowan-Dickie and the likes of Moon, Low & Horstmann to call on, the Chiefs pack offers threats in all phases, tight and loose. Behind them canny half backs like Chudley, Thomas and Steenson will want to steer the Sandy Park crew’s distinctive brand of multi-layered, multi-phase attacking rugby. Quite possibly Henry Slade and Jack Nowell may feature, if only from the bench. If not, Sam Hill, Phil Dollman –or Olly Woodburn are all capable of potent finishing. Woodburn should be closely marked –Bath have previous form in allowing wings to leave for West country rivals only for them to return as scorers who haunt.
Chiefs attacking recipe will probably be much as last year. They will flood the breakdown, at pace and in numbers and spread the ball wide as much as possible with layers of screen runners shielding the pass to allow strike runners to hit the ball at full tilt from deep. Defensive kicking will need to be needlepoint accurate as their counter attack from depth is one of the sharpest in the Premiership. Just as they contest the breakdown in numbers, they support in flocks too and high quality handling –both in short passing and wide enables sustained attack through multiple phases.
Chiefs will be hoping this is their year to break into the top four – aided by an early season World cup hangover among the usual suspects. Their rise to that status does seem inexorable –they missed out on points difference last year and took the scalps of both Saracens & Saints –home and away. So –what can Bath do to stop them? First, discipline is an absolute essential. Chiefs steal ground like a Comanche raiding party and in Steenson had last year’s most reliable goal kicker, so penalties mean easy points. Game management discipline is equally crucial to cut down the mistakes which simply invite attack. If that sounds negative, it is not. Bath should play their own form of high tempo attacking game – as last year, to keep Chiefs deep in their territory, to force the errors from them and to seek the tries which build a big score. If the front five can win enough quality ball in Chiefs territory, Bath have the strike force to exploit it. Banahan and Rokodoguni were both try scorers last weekend- Roko bagging 3 against Australia’s Defence Force so they are in the form for the job. Bath fans will hope that the side for Saturday boasts as strong a back row and midfield as possible. With so many in this pivotal area involved in the World Cup this will not be a full first choice selection but Leroy Houston, if fit, is a must have and the coaches may be tempted to start George Ford to control the game. Out wide Watson & Joseph will probably be rested, but up front Davey Wilson –underused by England & Rob Webber might feature from the bench.
No doubt about it, this match will be a fierce test of Bath’s mettle. With Wasps the following weekend and Toulon, Leinster & Leicester looming in November, Saturday could set the tone for the first half of the season. I back Bath’s experience and home advantage to give them the edge, but it will be close.
Possible Bath Team: Auterac, Batty, Thomas, Hooper (Capt), Attwood, Garvey, Mercer, Houston. Cook, Ford. Banahan, Eastmond, Devoto, Rokodoguni. Homer.
Replacements: Lahiff, Webber, Wilson, Ewels, Fa’osiliva, Evans, Clark, Williams
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