By Glen Leat
January 13 2005

John Connolly takes a "mixed" team of players to face Bourgoin on Saturday evening in a match he could well do without, following Bath's exciting exit from Europe last week. With a tough trip up to Sale next Friday in the Powergen Cup, the Bath coach's policy is clearly to protect his assets.

 

The idea of starting the game with Michael Lipman on the wing through choice is bizarre, but clearly Connolly has limited options because of injuries and European registration. According to the Bath Rugby official site the coach has just 21 fit players to choose from. It's a shame that the club didn't have the opportunity to register current members of the ERE First XV as I'm sure they're in the category of "have boots, will travel!".

There is a view that Bourgoin cocked up this potentially very exciting combination group of teams by their apparent lack of commitment in earlier games. Combine the backs excellence of Leinster, the massive improvement of Treviso and the potential of Bath and this should have been a much closer contest than has been the case. Leinster are runaway winners without runaway performances. Frustrating? You bet it is!

Bath played Bourgoin in the opening game of the competition and won 22-12 at a very wet Rec. Bourgoin then got thrashed 34-0 by Treviso at home after the French team appeared to lose any desire to progress in Europe in the first 40 minutes by conceding 31 unanswered points.

Whilst Bath were losing 23-29 in Italy to Treviso in Round 3, Bourgoin were hammered 92-17 in Ireland. The topsy-turvy nature of this group then saw Bourgoin push Leinster to a slender 23-26 Irish win in France and Bath stuff Treviso 47-7 at the Rec.

Last week, whilst Bath and Leinster were hammering the life out of a wonderful game, Bourgoin lost 40-29 to Treviso. All of this leaves Bath with 11 points and Bourgoin with an embarrassing 1 point and a game no one really wants to play.

Still at least those supporters who are travelling will enjoy the experience.

Bath Team

15 Brendon Daniel
14 Andrew Higgins/Mike Baxter
13 Alex Crockett
12 Olly Barkley 
11 Michael Lipman 
10 Chris Malone
9 Nick Walshe
1 Chris Loader 
2 Lee Mears
3 Matt Stevens 
4 Rob Fidler 
5 James Hudson
6 Andy Beattie (capt)
7 James Scaysbrook
8 Geraint Lewis 

16 Dave Ward
17 David Barnes
18 Steve Borthwick 
19 Danny Grewcock 
20 Zak Feaunati 
21 Laurence Ovens