By P G Tips
October 20 2015
Bath are getting used to tough starts to their seasons. Last year early fixtures included Tigers, Saints & Sarries –all 2014 top 3 teams - in quick succession. This year the start is not quite as daunting, but still pits Bath against two sides who gave them tense tussles last year. After Exeter snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, next up are Wasps who featured in 2 of Bath’s most bizarre games last season. In each match the home team seemed to have an unassailable lead going into the last 20 minutes –only to see it truly assailed by an almost unbelievable comeback. So what should we expect at the Ricoh on Saturday? If last weekend is a guide, Bath could be favourites. Despite scoring first and a late comeback, Wasps went down to old rivals Quins, in a showing that has caused some angry buzzing in the Coventry nest. Some fans question the passion of the team and have branded the display clueless, imprecise and clumsy. Meanwhile, Bath’s luck and defence held out at the Rec, the pack showed impressive scrum control and George Ford kicked his goals. Season openers though are not always a reliable guide.
After the disappointment of their Stoop failure, Wasps players will be smarting as much as their fans. Dai Young has put some steel in them since the bleak basement days of 2012 when bankruptcy & relegation loomed equally large. Last year he had them scrumming like an old school side from the valleys and he forged one of the most formidable breakaway trios in the Premiership in Haskell, Hughes and Johnson. The latter has now moved up to hooker, giving them an extra option on the carry and in turnover and is replaced by George Smith a wily veteran concentrating now on club rugby alone.
Among Wasps returning World Cup players, Launchbury was one of England’s few successful forwards and Haskell’s disappointing tournament should be plentiful motivation for a revival in form. Backing them up are 4 Englishmen with a point to prove: Mullan and Daly jettisoned from the squad before the warm up matches while Simpson and Wade did not even get that far – all will want to impress. Cittadini, Festuccia and Davies bring additional experience in the pack, while there is a fascinating choice to be made at half back between Simpson & Robson, Gopperth & Jackson.
Expect Young to whip Wasps forwards into a frenzy of ferocity. They are likely to attack Bath on all fronts in their first home AP match of the season –at scrum, breakdown and in the carry, but most particularly at the lineout where Bath are perceived to be vulnerable. Quick ball at any phase could unleash a runner from scrum half or a burst up the middle from a direct runner such as Jacobs or Masi. Good recycle would then allow the option of a charge by one of the big men or the wider option of speedsters Daly, Wade or Miller. If Wasps are allowed to get their tails up they will opt for an all action attacking approach with plenty of pace and width on the ball.
So, how should Bath respond? Well, discipline for a start. Defensive discipline held against Chiefs, but only on the back of two yellow cards –which might have proven more costly. At Adams Park last year Bath gave away three, plus a penalty try – these buried hopes of a win before the fightback even started. Neal Hatley will target the scrum as a point of strength and Bath should pressure the Wasps here for the full 80. The lineout needs to be simplified to cut out errors and to provide the platform for the driving maul. Then there is kicking. George Ford got his team into the right parts of the pitch last Saturday and kicked all the vital goals. Another bravura performance will be needed this weekend.
And what of the wide channels? That, in part, depends on who is available. Hopefully, Joseph or Devoto will be fit to release Banahan to the wing where he can play the stronger hand. Although chances were few last week, Bath have three of the most potent AP finishers in Banners, Roko and Watson and should use them –either from ball in hand, or on the end of Ford’s kicking. Matawalu, who played an orthodox game last week might be given his head too – his bursts from scrum base could turn a defence to create havoc.
Bath have their own World Cup returners who will be raring for action in Dom Day & Rhys Priestland. Perhaps they can provide an edge of hunger to a squad who in Mike Ford’s words beat the Chiefs despite “playing poorly really”. This is a key match deserving as strong a selection as Bath can muster
This early in the season it is hard to predict who will come out on top, but it should be an open, incident packed game. With Watson, Rokodoguni and Ford in form it could be the visitors who have the sting in their tail. If they can win enough good ball, Bath should squeeze through – but it will be close.
Possible Teams:
Bath: Auterac, Batty, Thomas, Hooper (Capt), Attwood, Garvey, Fa’osiliva, Houston. Cook, Ford. Watson, Eastmond, Devoto, Rokodoguni. Homer Replacements: Lahiff, Webber, Wilson, Day, Burgess, Matawalu, Priestland, Banahan
Wasps: Mullan(c) Johnson, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Davies, Launchbury, Haskell, Smith, Hughes. Simpson, Jackson. Tagicakibau, Jacobs, Daly, Wade. MillerReplacements: Festuccia, McIntyre, Swainston, Gaskell, Jones. Robson, Gopperth, Masi
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