Bath v Bristol Friday 7.45

[fivepointer]

Bath Rugby: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Cameron Redpath, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Matt Gallagher, 10 Piers Francis, 9 Ben Spencer ©; 1 Beno Obano, 2 Niall Annett, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 4 Dave Attwood, 5 Quinn Roux, 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Miles Reid

Impact players: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Will Stuart, 19 GJ van Velze, 20 Jaco Coetzee, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Chris Cloete

Bristol Bears: 15 Charles Piuatu, 14 Siva Naulago, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 James Williams, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Harry Randall; 1 Yann Thomas, 2 Harry Thacker, 3 Max Lahiff, 4 Joe Joyce, 5 Chris Vui, 6 Sam Jeffries, 7 Fitz Harding, 8 Magnus Bradbury

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 George Kloska, 19 Jake Heenan, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Sam Bedlow, 23. Ioan Lloyd

[Which Tyler]

That's an... interesting Bath team.
Return for TdG, and straight into the starting berth.
Ojomoh and Redpath starting together, without Joseph there as an actual OC.

Which makes 3 distributors outside of 10; and no distributor at 10 itself, and no game plan to use distribution.

Dunn dropped for Annett is probably right based on the last 2-3 matches; and I still hate the 6:2 bench

[jimKRFC]

Baring Genge, Sinckler & Luatua that's about as strong a side as Bristol can put out! Not sure on two back rows on the bench though, would like to have seen Charlie Rice there after a really good run against Sale & Heward unlucky to miss out after a few really strong performances, but LLoyd cover 9 - 15 so very useful cover!

Should be interesting!

[Mellsblue]

Baring Genge, Sinckler & Luatua that's about as strong a side as Bristol can put out!

What is RICH LANE!!!’s injury etc etc

[Banquo]

Baring Genge, Sinckler & Luatua that's about as strong a side as Bristol can put out! Not sure on two back rows on the bench though, would like to have seen Charlie Rice there after a really good run against Sale & Heward unlucky to miss out after a few really strong performances, but LLoyd cover 9 - 15 so very useful cover!

Should be interesting!

Is POC completely out of favour now?

[fivepointer]

POC is on the unavailable list.

[Banquo]

POC is on the unavailable list.

I haven't seen that, but it was more a response to the statement that it was the strongest side Brizz could put out ish

[jimKRFC]

POC is on the unavailable list.

POC has an issue with a nerve is his back, out for a little while I suspect.

[Mellsblue]

Jeff Reece is back!

[Mellsblue]

No Radradra next season is a serious loss to the league.

[Mellsblue]

That’s not a knock on, as Kay says.

[Mellsblue]

Every time Francis fecks up whilst Bailey sits in the bench I get more and more annoyed, and I started pretty pissed off when the team was announced.

[Mellsblue]

I think Lamo might be calling Carlo tomorrow

[fivepointer]

Carlo isnt helping but jeez this is low grade stuff.

[Mellsblue]

I’m enjoying it… if you chuck the ball about about mistakes will happen but so will the moments of class. I enjoy the intent. I’m also into my second bottle of Rioja, stinker of week, so I may not be the sharpest analyst. Still better than Dallaglio, though…

[Mellsblue]

What. A. Finish.

[Mellsblue]

Loving the 6:2 split back firing.

[jimKRFC]

Loving the 6:2 split back firing.

Not watching (am watching Physical 100 on Netflix)- what's happened?

[Mellsblue]

Loving the 6:2 split back firing.

Not watching (am watching Physical 100 on Netflix)- what's happened?

Bath have lost Coka and de Glanville so now have two scrumhalfs and two flyhalfs.

[Mellsblue]

de Glanville passed his HIA, probs saved by the cushioning provided by 1990s curtains, so Bath back to only one 10 and two 9s.

[FKAS]

No Radradra next season is a serious loss to the league.

The bloke they've signed to replace him looks like he'll be very similar in style.

[jimKRFC]

Having just watched (so far) the first half I'd Carley is being pretty effective for Bath...

Apart from the first scrum it seems that Bristol has a slight edge in the set piece! This is a bit of shock as normally without Genge/Sinckler we're a penalty machine here, but Lahiff/Thacker/Thomas are doing the job in the tight and in the loose. Nice to see as it means Healey has to shut up after his pre-match comments about Bath being far superior there! Perhaps Irish's effect is starting to come through...

Otherwise Bath are aimless and toothless while Bristol contrive to mess everything up after doing the hard part and making space.

2nd half much the same as the first. Apparently 60% of Bristol's play ends in unforced error... If Bris were half way decent they'd be out of site.

Change of front rows does nothing for Bath with Woolmore, Bryne, Kloska coping well with Stuart, Dunn and Schoeman. Pleased with Kloska as he's still learning the position.

In summary Bristol killing themselves with errors, but if it clicks then it will be hard to stop.

Bath were aimless, clueless in attack and damn lucky there's no relegation. They look worse than last season.