By Susanne
February 16 2011

On 15 February Bath Rugby Supporters Club hosted an evening to allow Nick Blofeld to update the supporters on all things Bath Rugby.  Here is my account of what was covered - majoring on the admin stuff.

OK – here’s my take on things, I took a lot of notes but will try to keep to the highlights (notes are mainly so I can refer back later when my ailing memory fails – if I can still read them!).  They did cover a lot on Farleigh and Rec development so I’ve tried to put in all the salient points on this as it keeps coming up ‘ere.  Hence this is a bit longer than I anticipated.

Nick Blofeld sent his apologies – it wasn’t clear why he had to pull out but Jeremy (Opps Director) ably filled in on the admin stuff and I’m not sure Brad Davies would have been there otherwise, and as he was very entertaining I think we did OK.  I also think Brad might have been a little less cautious in some of the stuff about player signings than Nick would have been.

Jerry covered a lot of detail about what is going on with Farleigh House.  Training pitch is in and posts up:  3G is half done, held up by the weather and targeted end March; revised planning permission for the Gym etc is expected end February.  They are also applying for permission for a second training pitch and, if granted, hope to have this in time for the new season training in July.

A lot of thought has gone into the work they are doing and some of the changes have happened because Jerry’s first job when he came on board was to do a complete review and improve the plans.  One of the more amusing things was his explanation that the medical/strength and conditioning area has been designed on a flow system – not just so it works efficiently but so that the coaches know where the players are and they can’t escape!

New ground – progress is still being made and Jerry was very upbeat that they have made more progress in the last few months than over the years before.  Consultation will start next week or week following – he seems relaxed about the time scales and there is obviously a lot of communication between the various parties that is not made public.

He did say that the consultation is very important – if we do not get a yes we cannot pursue the Rec and it will be Keynsham!

They also want to use this to flush out the last of the legal challenges – new ones re an old covenant from the 20’s have come to light recently.  He also made the very important point that Bath Rugby need the Council to get behind this too – B&NES can’t view Bruce as a bottomless chequebook to bail them out!  Rather BRFC want to partner with B&NES to convert the part of the riverbank occupied by the Rec to an area the people of Bath can be proud of. 

To be commercially viable it will need to be developed with conference and events and retail so that it can be used all year.  The leisure centre adds complications that got technical and others can expand on if they wish!

Apparently the Ch C are not very keen on Firs Field – may not be seen as adequate compensation – but that Bruce would be amenable to discussing Lambridge with its Trustees with a view to acquiring it and using it for a swap.  He also said they are very keen to keep Lambridge as a rugby area for Ladies and Youth rugby and perhaps even revive the amateur club.

They are looking at changes to terracing and East stand next year to improve the “experience”.  E.g. terracing filling from the back down so that it doesn’t look so full when you approach it.  Also trying to improve the egress from the IPL and maybe even shift it back (to improve sight lines) and cantilevering new rows on the back – so we can go back without going outside the footprint.  Sounds interesting – especially to someone who’s seat is on the back row!

They know marketing and communication could be a lot better and they are working on a lot of areas.  Bruce is soon to be asked to sign off on (an expensive) new PA and big screen for next season.

On the rugby side (ah at last I hear!) there was a great deal of hilarity over a typo on the slides – we are not sure whether the new plan for the forwards is to make them a treat or a threat going forward – maybe we can have both!  They are close on most renewals and a number of recruits.

Next season will start weekend of 3 September.  They are very aware of how annoyed a lot of us are bout all the fixture changes and Jerry assured us they are fighting that corner as much as they can – and more than some clubs.  They are shortly to go back to PRL about past and future changes showing where we have been especially irritated and where it has affected their business.

Brad talked about changes in the way we play recently – they want to continue open running style but acknowledge they need more Plan B’s and want a more consistent and threatening pack.  It was described as style and stubbornness – the iron fist in the velvet glove.  In training they introduced double Tuesdays – double sessions to produce more dogged performance on the pitch when needed.  They did this 6 – 8 weeks ago and Brad thinks the results showed at Irish and Sale.  This seems to have been one of SIM’s changes.

Signings – they want to keep Hape, it is now up to him whether to accept the offer made.  There is also no agreement with Martin Johnson to play Hape at 12 – the coaches see this as just a number on the back and the players will play where they are needed and their skills most fit at any point in the game. Kyle E has seen Farleigh – now up to him and his agent to make a decision on his future.

Carraro may be about to fall foul of the foreign player rule – implication might be that we have another one in mind.  He also said that he thought Matt and Simon Taylor were the best 2 players of the season so far.

They apparently never spoke to Hook or McAllister.  You can take a lot of the salary figures you see bandied about in the press with a pinch of salt.  And, as mentioned, Brad obviously reads ERE!

Injuries:  Catt trained that day and might be back in 2-3 weeks.  Josh Ovens maybe has 4 weeks to go – it wasn’t a break but rather ligament damage to the ankle.

The lack of a drop goal against Biarritz was a mistake (not the phrase used but Sportsnetwork would censor it) and they do practise drop goals.

(Oh – and in case you were wondering why the choice of Simon Taylor for the picture?  Because  I can!)