By Glen Leat
October 17 2002

After a six try spree in Italy last week at which almost 500 Bath fans enjoyed the comeback of Matt Perry those of us not lucky enough to travel to Parma can get ready for this season's home debut of Pezza in the return leg of this first round of the Parker Pen Shield.

Once again coach Mike Foley has opted for a strong side on Saturday against GR.A.N Parma which is both good news for the team , as it helps with consistency, but is also good news for the supporters as we are getting value for money from a game which could have been treated as a pre-season type friendly.

Joining Matt Perry in the starting line up will be Steve Borthwick who also makes his eagerly-awaited first start of the season following a knee injury, whilst there is also a place on the bench for fellow returnee Andy Williams. This is starting to look like a full squad for the coaches to choose from and whets the appetite for next week's very tough and crucial encounter against Leeds at The Rec.

With either Mike Catt or Chris Malone starting at fly half, with Catt awaiting a late fitness test, and Matt Perry at full-back our wonder kicker Olly Barkley, who cannot be left out of the team because of his match winning kicking skills will make his first start in a Bath Rugby jersey on the wing, with Simon Danielli returning to the other wing having sat-out the first leg in Italy.

Bath head into the tie with a 37-point advantage over the Italian side, but co-coach Brian Smith insists that there is no room for complacency. “The important thing is that we have to start from scratch. They are not an easy side to beat and they will be smarting from their loss and it took us some considerable time to put them away last week. I think that they will really come at us so it will be another case of weathering the storm early and continuing to try and play to our pattern, be clinical and get the result that way. It would be foolish of us to take them lightly and lose our shape as we must respect them as much as any other opposition.

Hopefully Saturday will give Bath fans a festival of rugby - come on Bath!!!!!!!!


Bath Team

15. Matt Perry 14. Simon Danielli 13. Kevin Maggs 12 Alex Crockett 11. Olly Barkley 10. Mike Catt/ Chris Malone 9. Gareth Cooper 1. David Barnes 2. Jonathan Humphreys 3. Alessio Galasso 4. Steve Borthwick 5. Danny Grewcock 6. Andy Lloyd 7. James Scaysbrook 8. Nathan Thomas

Replacements

16. Andy Williams 17. Andy Long 18. Simon Emms 19. Rob Thirlby 20. Gavin Thomas 21. Dan Lyle 22. Andy Beattie