By Glen Leat
September 21 2002

The lead up to this game was confusing with the "will they, won't they play" questions hanging over both Grewcock and Catt. Even the ERE "Will Bath beat the Saints?" prediction poll could not split the Yes/No vote. Despite being assured that Catt was playing he didn't and Bath took a hammering 24-3.

This was another of those "games of two halves" with Bath struggling to get hold of the ball in the first 40 minutes and certainly not threatening the Saints line with any great regularity and a second 40 minutes in which Bath took the game by the scruff of the neck but failed to capitalise on their possession and try scoring positions. With the score at 19 - 3 to the Saints at half-time they only managed to add to this in the final minute with a last gasp Ben Cohen try to secure the bonus point and end up 24 - 3 winners.

Conceding four tries is really not good enough unless of course you score five, but with Bath only scoring five all last season it was never likely once Northampton notched up three tries, through Ripol and Jorgensen (twice), before the half hour mark. The fourth try did not reflect the play in the second half and Bath will feel aggrieved that they did not shut out the home side after the break.

But where are the Bath tries going to come from? In the first half we created few genuine scoring opportunities and in the second half we peppered the Northampton line but could find no way through. In my preview of this game I said: "I can't see us getting anywhere close to the Saints on Saturday but I really hope the Bath boys let everyone know that they are moving in the right direction" and this turned out to be an accurate reflection of the game (in the second half especially). Our problem at present seems to be getting a stranglehold on a match so we can build a score and put pressure on the opposition; all the pressure is on Bath and the players constantly play "catch-up" rugby. The only time this wasn't the case this season, against London Irish, we did (just) enough to secure the win.

Worryingly Gareth Cooper was once again taken from the field with an ankle injury and we have to hope this does not turn out to be serious as we need his speed of mind and foot if we are to stand any chance in the next few games.

After this result Mark Connors will feel it was in his interest to lose his job at Bath and end up at Northampton, although he was magnanimous enough to be penalised so Olly Barkley could slot home the only score for Bath with a 47 yard penalty..

So next week we have Glawster at the Rec. After their hammering of Bristol at Kingsholm they must feel very confident of maintaining their winning form this season.

Let's look at the result of your prediction for this game:

Question: Will Bath beat Northampton? Yes 29% No 29% Draw 0% Don't Know 43%

Let's have a look at the latest league table.

So what did you think of the Bath players in this game? Vote by clicking on to here

Bath scorers
Tries:
Cons:
Pens: Barkley 1
Drop Goal:

Bath:

15. Olly Barkley 14. Simon Danielli 13. Mike Tindall 12. Alex Crockett 11. Tom Voyce 10. Chris Malone 9. Gareth Cooper 1. Simon Emms 2. Jonathan Humphreys
3. Alessio Galasso 4. Andy Beattie 5. Danny Grewcock 6. Gavin Thomas 7. Dan Lyle 8. Nathan Thomas

Photo - courtesy of Stuart Anderton