Regds the ABs kicking MORE(?) than other teams is also to partially miss the point. Don’t they also score more TRIES than other teams (ask Julian Savea)? Are you saying that they get lots of lucky bounces, or do they kick only with intent… to retrieve the ball & then attack through their backs… & or forwards (front, 2nd rows included)? They look to score whether it’s from their own 22, if it’s likely on, up to the opposition’s. To simply compare kicking stats only, is surely miss leading?

Barnes got it wrong twice. Deliberate shoulder charge & a head high tackle being condoned? Intent, or severity doesn’t come into it. If these incidents had happened against Wales, perpetrated by England, what would yr reaction have likely have been then? ‘…contentious points for us fans to talk about after’, Maybe?

It was an illegal ‘tackle’, Watson went off. Farrell didn’t, courtesy of the impeccable Barnes.

Farrell has some petulant history. Or would you rather wait until someone gets a broken jaw?

Ford was in a losing team which substantially changed nothing, Farrell was behind a dominant pack, although Ford kicked aimlessly deep x3 (?) in a row, when they needed POINTS… & missed touch, again! ‘Budding genius’? Not yet.

Banahan’s missed, almost sideways, kick, also to touch, resulted in a Saracens’ try. Fairly pivotal. Bit worrying if he can’t play basic rugby like that, although he looked & was good v Leicester.

Easier when winning. Cracks aren’t so exposed… or are forgotten.

When teams have dominant forwards, they tend to get more ball & deny the opposition ball. Besides this was club rugby, not an Int’al game.

Bath lacked the nous to change what wasn’t working, i.e., being beaten @ the breakdown. Also @ most scrums. Less could be done with the latter as they weren’t strong enough, although quicker feeds & hooking might have helped.

After 10 minutes or so Bath ought to have gambled everything on flooding the ruck (the game was almost up, so little to lose), thus denying Saracens so much ball. Also Bath’d have surely then won more of their own ball (it would needed to have been quick as well) & thus caught the Saracens’ ‘D’ more out of position, creating miss-matches out wide. Didn’t happen… & so they lost. Maybe if Joe Schmidt had been @ Bath…?

Saracens also got a couple of breaks (like, almost, Watson’s jaw) & the ball bounced their way a couple of times early on. Them’s the breaks. On the other hand they’d have been unlucky to have lost

It’s the route 1 set piece, endless, predictable driving & kicking like clock work that is negative.
It worked this yr, but not over the past 3/4. And it didn’t work in the Euro Cup. When held up front, where’s their guile? Plan ‘B’?

They’ve also have/had oodles of Saffas & Int’als in their team/s. Had to tell @ some point.

As for the MotM Farrell, he’s also PREDICTABLE… & everyone sings when their forwards are on top. Where were the wrap arounds, his side stepping line breaks, his pace off the mark, his standing on the gain line etc? A goal kicker, line kicker & a tackler. If that’s what you need… for a looming WC?

I agree with what seems to be the general assessment, that Bath failed to “earn” the right to play expansively. Not sure it hase to be physically earned (it was not against Leicester) but it does have to be on. If the defence is organised and up quickly they are better either kicking or playing it through the forwards. when they did this they ended up scoring a try.

Sarries were deserved winners, but I think Bath will be really disappointed that they let the game get away from them in the first 30mins.

Bath are a good team and have played really well during the season but, as Saracens found out last year, playing in a final is very different. Bath will learn from this and, if they continue in the same vein, will be strong contenders for next year’s final.

With regard to foul play, I felt that Wayne Barnes got it right both times and neither Farrel’s nor Webber’s incidents were anything other than penalties.

What would a final be without some contentious points for us fans to talk about after:).