If you want lots of detail on this one you may need to head to the official Irish site or the press but I volunteered to write this report in the hope that I would get home on Sunday night wanting to re watch on ESPN the coverage of our strong away win against a poor Bath side. Well it didn’t happen so here goes. (I’m actually watching basketball on ESPN instead of the game but will switch occasionally if really necessary to give some detail!)

My New Years Day started early as despite going to bed early on New Years Eve because we were heading to Bath early (Thanks ESPN) I received a call from Sam R43 at 3.15 am, “Dad they’ve stopped running trains back to Heathrow and we are stuck at Northfield can you come and get me.” I grunt, get dressed and leave the room telling LKR that Sam will probably want to stay in bed and not join us on the trip to the game. 45 minutes later I am back in bed until the alarm goes off at 7am. “Shall we all stay in bed” I ask, the usual answers come back.

By 8.30 we are in the car on the way to Basingstoke. We pick up Paula G who we have persuaded to come with us and arrive in Bath (having avoided jack-knifed lorries on the M4) the usual about an hour and a half before kick off. We take our place on the open terrace after the team arrive and the rain begins. The pitch looks heavy but we’ve seen it worse. Both the London Irish Pubs minibuses arrived and we’re joined by a group of other Irish supporters including Big Al and Mad Monk (that should ensure we get on TV) and the discussions begin. Al has worked out that a couple more wins would make us safe from relegation (How come nobody’s asked if we are safe yet?) Mr Monk and I discuss how lucky we are that the match is on tv and the fact that it will make match reporting easier (We forgot we might not want to watch the re run!).

The ESPN team set up just to our left and their broadcast begins (including a discussion of our discipline record) and Sam prepares the drum for the team announcements ((only 3 changes since the game 5 days ago) is the squad large enough?) the rain’s getting harder and the drum has to be put away quickly to stop it getting wet. Stayed in bed, no it’s not as bad as two years ago now that was wet.

The team come out and the game begins the rain gets a bit harder. Mr Fox is the referee with Mr Grassoff “In the truck” and he will be heavily involved in the game.

The kick off goes long (the first of many long kicks) and there is a scrum back and all of a sudden the play is in front of us near to our try line. Bath lose the line out and more kicking ensues. Bath kicks seem throughout the game to either find good touches or spaces and create advantages while ours seem to find men in Blue, or be short. In the wet and on the heavy ground this is significant as it seems very difficult to make good ground.

Bath seem to have the ref well worked out and are not pinged for easy penalties of the sort that Exeter gave us in the last game to get us in front. The penalties are actually being awarded against us but Donald missed the first one.

One of the Bath kicks is allowed to bounce between Delon and Steve and results in a short kick just outside the 22. Bath collect and return the ball and several phases later the ball is near to the post. Mr Fox’s whistle goes and you wonder if a card might be coming but he goes upstairs and eventually a try is given on the basis that the ball was grounded against the post.

A few minutes later we’re upstairs again (held up by Shontayne) and this time its not given and a few minutes after that were looking at a 3rd replay again not given (Bath knock on). However the fact that all 3 are on our try line indicates that we are struggling and that the Bath pack are getting the upper hand.

There is some kicking exchanged and Jamie eventually is penalised for taking out Donald after a kick which is converted. Tom then kicked our only points from an offside decision which made the half time score 10-3. Just before half time Richard leaves the field with an arm injury and is replaced by Matt.

There are a number of other changes during the early part of the second half and Bath pick up another penalty. However, we seem to be becoming more competitive (well we couldn’t be a lot less competitive; maybe I should have stayed in bed). One of the changes brought Jarvis onto the field for Joe. Within a couple of minutes AJ tries a chip over the top. I think “that’s better” - a chance for someone in white to chase a ball. All of a sudden it’s in Abendenon’s arms, he’s round the corner and passes to Biggs who in turn moves the ball to Carraro. Try in the corner 80 metres away is converted (20-3). Shortly after there is another break, this time Delon makes the cover tackle. Bath have some more possession and an easy penalty is awarded

As time begins to run out Delon closes down a Bath kick and takes out the kicker. Mr Fox makes and instant (and in my view wrong) decision and sends him to the sin bin, Bath pile on the pressure and win an attacking 5 metre scrum which leads to a penalty try (I didn’t hear any warning and felt that Bath came up first anyway.)

On the way home there is further discussion about should we have stayed in bed but the general consensus in the car is no.

The press report that this is our worst loss (in points terms) since the Semi final against Leicester which was our 2nd away trip, and I wonder should we have stayed in bed for many of the games in between. The answer “of course not” - one of the joys of supporting Irish is that you never know what might happen. Even on Sunday the first try could have been not given by the TMO, the second if the chip had been better could have been for us and the 3rd again was in my view a generous penalty try. On the other hand the TMO could have given Bath 3 other tries. (In case anyone on the Bath board reads this I do think you were the better side and deserved your win (see the home match report!!)

There has been much discussion of the reasons for the loss between Sunday and Wednesday; did we kick away too much possession?, were the injuries we have significant? is the team actually strong enough? Do we have enough older players? What about our 5 day turn around v’s their 8 days? Are we now in our real position having over achieved so far in the season? Delon or Tom for full back? was the yellow a yellow? Team for next week? Should Gray or Garvey have replaced Richard? Who knows the answer to any of these but it keeps the debate going and I’ve debated most of these.

Anyway next Sunday we have Sale at home a game we usually win so hopefully we can start another winning run. Will I stay in bed for that…. Never.

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