Comments on: European Rugby Champions Cup 2014/2015 Preview: Pools 4-5

By: ben

ben — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 07:36:11 +0000

It’s insane that you dismiss like that Toulouse. I watched last weekend Toulouse crushed Toulon, and those guys know their rugby, and an injured beast is a dangerous one

By: Geat

Geat — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:53:43 +0000

As Skuse hasn’t played for United in a while, I have to assume he’s injured. Bath don’t keep us updated on injuries, so it’s hard to know for sure unless you have contacts,

I’ve seen Hooper at 6 mentioned a few times so that may well happen, with Sisi at 8 and Day coming into the second row. That approach would at least increase the amount of experience out on the field.

On the plus side, the rest of the team should be first-choice, So IF the rest of the pack can secure quality ball for the backs…

By: Rodgers

Rodgers — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:42:00 +0000

Sisi can play 8 too? What about Will Skuse? He’s had a few games in the first team, although I realise he’s not who you want lining up to start your European campaign.

Hooper used to dabble at 6 so he could play there i guess.

Didn’t know the injury crisis was so bad! Eurgh, theyll have to play to their max to take any result out of those two games

By: Geat

Geat — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:14:52 +0000

True enough about Sisi, but he’s only been capped twice from the bench in the Aviva (the rest of his outings, and there haven’t been many, have been in the LV= or for Bath United). He’s a real prospect though, and I hope he takes this opportunity with both hands!

Banners was indeed a lock, and if you’d suggested that a few years ago I would have agreed. He seems to have been a bit off the boil recently, though, and as a Number 8’s job is ball retention or receiving the ball in close-quarters before going into contact, I’m just not sure I’d trust his handling as things stand.

Unfortunately, we’ll have no returnees in time for the round 2 game, none of them are due back until December…

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:12:17 +0000

haha good save! Obviously your point had nothing to do with the group, you were just wondering if they could…

By: Jamie

Jamie — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:07:09 +0000

Mm, good point Geat, although I’d say Sisi is more of an established squad member who’s just struggled with injuries in the last couple of years, than an academy man, these days.

I wasn’t actually aware Fa’osiliva was injured too. Banahan could probably do a job at eight – he’s big enough and started his career in the row, apparently.

If you end up falling to Glasgow this weekend that game against Toulouse in R2 becomes a real humdinger!

By: Geat

Geat — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:00:22 +0000

You haven’t taken our (Bath’s) current back row crisis into account.

We’re currently missing our first and second-choice 6s and 7s (Garvey, Fa’osiliva, Louw and Fearns), and our first-choice 8 (Houston) has been slapped with a 3-week ban.

The result of this is on Saturday we will be playing an academy player at 6 (Sisi), Mercer at 7 (who admittedly has had a good season), and probably a lock at 8 – with no back row cover on the bench…

By: Jamie

Jamie — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 14:55:21 +0000

The question remains, though, could they win at the Rec? (Amended)

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 14:52:25 +0000

Not sure Racing Metro will have to worry about winning at the Rec, what with them not having Bath in their group….