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Bath Look For Two Out Of Two - Wins That Is!

Last Week's Action
By Glen Leat
September 18 2003
After having played Saints three times last season and losing all three games Bath can only improve on Saturday, but it will not be easy. Northampton are now a top club with a well drilled team and they will be expecting to drive home with the league points in their kit bag.

Alex Crockett was named man of the match at Leeds so everyone unable to make it to the first game of the season will be keen to see how this young centre has improved over the summer break. Chris Malone will hope his return to the Rec will at last bear fruit and he can show the Bath supporters why he was transferred from Exeter at the start of last season.  

The Bath pack looked powerful on Sunday and it will be wonderful to watch our forwards not getting shunted all over the Rec for the first time in ages. Northampton are renowned for being a strong team and it will take a real effort to keep on top of them even without their “big” names. Mark Connors will no doubt be disappointed that his arch rival, Danny Grewcock, will not be playing for Bath but at least it means he is likely to go home with his scrum cap in the  same condition as when he arrives at the Rec!

Like Bath, Northampton have lost their fair share of quality players to the World Cup but they have also suffered injuries to key players, for example Pountey and Blowers, who would have made a real difference. Whilst one swallow not making a summer, the confidence in the Bath ranks should be brimming and we should all approach this game believing that victory shall be coloured blue, black and white!  

The crowd for this game will be a ground record with over 9000 tickets sold. “Season tickets sales have been brilliant and then with the excellent win against Leeds last Sunday, the phones have been constant this week. Everybody is keen to see our new signings in action and looking forward to a great game against our old rivals Northampton Saints”.  

My prediction is another Bath win (fingers crossed).

Finally... let's give a good old-fashioned Bath welcome to one of our old boys Jon Sleightholme who always played with commitment for us.

(Leeds picture courtesy of Mike Senior)


Bath:

15 Matt Perry
14 Lee Best
13 Alex Crockett
12 Olly Barkley
11 Brendon Daniel
10 Chris Malone
9  Martyn Wood
1  David Flatman
2 Jonathan Humphreys ©
3 Duncan Bell
4 Steve Borthwick
5 Rob Fidler
6 Andy Beattie
7 Michael Lipman
8 Zak Feaunati

16 Hentie Martens
17 Lee Mears
18 Matt Stevens
19 Robbie Kydd
20 Jamie Williams
21 James Scaysbrook
22 Scott Gray

Click on to the Northampton Saints site for their perspective on things.

In preparation for this clash let's have a look at a few recent statistics:

Played 20 %
Bath Won 11 54
Saints Won 9 46
Drawn 0 0

Biggest Win

Bath 52 - 14 19 Jan 1997
Saints 40 - 17 1 May 1999

Last Meetings (Bath scores first)

15 Mar 2003 10 - 27 The Rec
21 Sept 2002 3- 24 Franklin's G
30 March 2002 11 - 29 The Rec
08 Sept 2001 7 - 26 Franklin's G
6 Jan 2001 36 - 13 The Rec
23 Sept 2000 13 - 24 Franklin's G
22 Apr 2000 17 - 13 Franklin's G
25 Sept 1999 33 - 13 The Rec
1 May 1999 17 - 40 Franklin's G
12 Dec 1998 9 - 15 The Rec
2 May 1998 15 - 16 Franklin's G
30 Dec 1997 26 - 3 The Rec
19 Jan 1997 52 - 14 The Rec
9 Nov 1996 6 - 9 Franklin's G
14 Jan 1995 26 - 6 The Rec

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