By Glen Leat
December 27 2002

Bath face up to a Harlequins team keen to do the double over one of their closest rivals during the past 10 years and this will be a tough challenge for a Bath team that has secured only one win in their last six Premiership outings at the Rec.

Despite good performances against Bridgend and an excellent win at Wasps, so far this season we have only beaten Sale (24-18) at the Rec in the League and after losing to Bristol the legend of a "fortress" Rec has long been consigned to the pages of history. Looking at the record of our clashes with Harlequins (at the foot of the page) we have a good history, but that was mainly against a variety of Quins sides who would be happy to roll over and increase our points difference in the League table. This sides appears to be different, as we discovered not so long ago when we had them on the rack for 30 minutes and then let them take the game.

Harlequins have won three of their last four games against Bath including an 18 - 9 triumph at the Stoop in November, although they have managed to win at the Rec in the league just once in their 13 previous visits: (17-13 in May 1999).

In our last game at The Stoop we lost the services of Mike Catt just a short while before kick-off through a recurring hamstring niggle and again we are waiting on news of the Cattmeister as he tries to make another comeback for Bath. This whole thing reminds me of the days of Bryan Robson playing for Manchester United and, if my memory serves me right, the "will he, won't he?" scenario proved more disruptive than positive as replacement players didn't know if they were playing at all or in different positions. My feeling is that Catt should not be mentioned at all unless he is guaranteed of a start and can last at least the first half of the game. Believe it or not, and it seems a lot of people do not, there is life for Bath Rugby after Mike Catt and I think we should be focusing on the fit younger players who are our future.
 
But things are not that rosy for Harlequins as they have gone 17 matches without a win away from home - a sequence that stretches back to 17 March 2001 when they beat Rotherham 32-12 at Clifton Lane.
 
 Given the increased confidence running through the Bath side at present I cannot see them losing so I'll plump for an 8 point victory for Bath.

Click here to read about the encounter between Bath and Harlequins earlier in the year.

Click on to the Harlequins site for their perspective on things.

Click here to see the latest league table.

Bath Squad

Backs: Iain Balshaw, Olly Barkley, Mike Catt, Gareth Cooper, Simon Danielli, Kevin Maggs, Chris Malone, Matt Perry, Mike Tindall, Tom Voyce, Andy Williams

Forwards: Dave Barnes, Andy Beattie, Steve Borthwick, Alessio Galasso, Danny Grewcock, Jonathan Humphreys, Andy Lloyd, Andy Long, John Mallett, James Scaysbrook, Matt Stevens, Gavin Thomas, Nathan Thomas.

Biggest Win

Player Greats

Last Meetings (Bath scores first)