Bath v Leicester

[Which Tyler]

Saturday, 3.05
Ref: Jack Makepeace
TJs: George Selwood & Paul Dix
TMO: Rowan Kitt

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Josh McNally
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Fergus Lee-Warner
7 Miles Reid
8 Alfie Barbeary

09 Ben Spencer ©
10 Finn Russell
11 Will Muir
12 Cameron Redpath
13 Max Ojomoh
14 Joe Cokanasiga
15 Matt Gallagher

16 Niall Annett, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Ewan Richards, 20 Jaco Coetzee, 23 Chris Cloete
21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Orlando Bailey

Leicester:
1 James Cronin
2 Charlie Clare
3 Joe Heyes
4 Cameron Henderson
5 Harry Wells
6 Hanro Liebenbeger (c)
7 Tommy Reffell
8 Matt Rogerson

09 Tom Whiteley
10 Jamie Shillcock
11 Olle Hassell-Collins
12 Dan Kelly
13 Guy Porter
14 Josh Bassett
15 Mike Brown

16 Nick Dolly, 17 Francois Van Wyk, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Sam Carter, 20 Emeka Ilione
21 Joe Powell, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Phil Cokanasiga


I really hate 6:2 splits

[Puja]

Ooft. I suspect this is gonna be another tough weekend for us. Badly need our world cup players back to bring the spine back in. Good to have Reffell back though; he'll make a massive difference. Nice also to see Ilione getting a chance off the bench, especially rather than the complete waste of space that is Mike Williams.

Puja

[FKAS]

I suspect this is going to be another miserable day at the office for Tigers. The midfield defence looked poor last weekend and with Russell pulling the strings and that backline it ain't going to be a pleasant watch for Tigers fans.

Reffell back is a huge boost. We've barely had a presence at the breakdown so far so both he and Ilione being in the 23 really should help that and if they can slow the ball down it might help stem the bleeding from the Bath attack.

Ball in hand Tigers were decent in the Sale 22 last weekend but outside of it we really lacked a cutting edge. Porter looks like he's nursing an injury which isn't helping. I was hoping we'd see Kata instead this weekend to offer a real threat ball in hand which might free up more space outside as OHC looked threatening on the two occasions he got the ball in any space last weekend.

[Puja]

I suspect this is going to be another miserable day at the office for Tigers. The midfield defence looked poor last weekend and with Russell pulling the strings and that backline it ain't going to be a pleasant watch for Tigers fans.

Reffell back is a huge boost. We've barely had a presence at the breakdown so far so both he and Ilione being in the 23 really should help that and if they can slow the ball down it might help stem the bleeding from the Bath attack.

Ball in hand Tigers were decent in the Sale 22 last weekend but outside of it we really lacked a cutting edge. Porter looks like he's nursing an injury which isn't helping. I was hoping we'd see Kata instead this weekend to offer a real threat ball in hand which might free up more space outside as OHC looked threatening on the two occasions he got the ball in any space last weekend.

On the flip side, PCokanasiga showed against Sale why he was out in the cold for Leicester last year. Regularly out of position or in the wrong shape in defence and making Kelly work double-time to cover him. Hope Porter can last the game.

Puja

[FKAS]

I suspect this is going to be another miserable day at the office for Tigers. The midfield defence looked poor last weekend and with Russell pulling the strings and that backline it ain't going to be a pleasant watch for Tigers fans.

Reffell back is a huge boost. We've barely had a presence at the breakdown so far so both he and Ilione being in the 23 really should help that and if they can slow the ball down it might help stem the bleeding from the Bath attack.

Ball in hand Tigers were decent in the Sale 22 last weekend but outside of it we really lacked a cutting edge. Porter looks like he's nursing an injury which isn't helping. I was hoping we'd see Kata instead this weekend to offer a real threat ball in hand which might free up more space outside as OHC looked threatening on the two occasions he got the ball in any space last weekend.

On the flip side, PCokanasiga showed against Sale why he was out in the cold for Leicester last year. Regularly out of position or in the wrong shape in defence and making Kelly work double-time to cover him. Hope Porter can last the game.

Puja

I'm not sure Porter looked much better to be honest. His leg was strapped before and he limped off. Didn't look that mobile and I'd be surprised it Bath weren't targeting that 13 channel.

[Which Tyler]

Time have changed.
It looks to me like a story of Bath's forwards and Leicester's backs.

For Bath, it's going to be all about discipline, getting used to the new systems, especially in defence.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I suspect this is going to be another miserable day at the office for Tigers. The midfield defence looked poor last weekend and with Russell pulling the strings and that backline it ain't going to be a pleasant watch for Tigers fans.

Reffell back is a huge boost. We've barely had a presence at the breakdown so far so both he and Ilione being in the 23 really should help that and if they can slow the ball down it might help stem the bleeding from the Bath attack.

Ball in hand Tigers were decent in the Sale 22 last weekend but outside of it we really lacked a cutting edge. Porter looks like he's nursing an injury which isn't helping. I was hoping we'd see Kata instead this weekend to offer a real threat ball in hand which might free up more space outside as OHC looked threatening on the two occasions he got the ball in any space last weekend.

On the flip side, PCokanasiga showed against Sale why he was out in the cold for Leicester last year. Regularly out of position or in the wrong shape in defence and making Kelly work double-time to cover him. Hope Porter can last the game.

Puja

That said in attack we gave him the ball a grand total of one time. He made it over the gainline so we decided not to do that again!

[FKAS]

Time have changed.
It looks to me like a story of Bath's forwards and Leicester's backs.

you've not seen our backs. The story will be if we can actually get them the ball and they can keep the defensive line coherent.

[Which Tyler]

And that's what we actually pay him for.

A late change of plan
Barb.s was all set to pick and go.
Finn sends Ben back to go get the ball.
Inch perfect kick, and Muir doesn't have to break stride.

[twitchy]

Grim conditions but a huge amount of quality.

[Oakboy]

Is this a new record low from the commentary team? Really getting on my nerves!

[Which Tyler]

Is this a new record low from the commentary team? Really getting on my nerves!

You mean there are players on the pitch, not called Finn?



That's gonna need some stitches

[Which Tyler]

So, I guess Will Muir is doing Halloween as Heath Ledger's Joker this year.

[Which Tyler]

Hats off, that was a great maul

[FKAS]

Powell really is a waste of space. He's been a great impact off the bench, for Bath.

[Which Tyler]

FUCK!

[FKAS]

Jamie Shillcock has been an excellent signing. Really good to see young Ilione come on and look at home at this level.

A draw would have been fair given there was nowt between the sides.

[Which Tyler]

Yeah, really wish we'd found a way of keeping him, would have been top of my list from our temporary signings last year.

Otherwise, congratulations my furry friends. You did it the hard way, and fully earned your victory.

Now, if Bath can just find some discipline from somewhere (which looks increasingly like keeping Cloete off the pitch)

[FKAS]

Cloete was particularly disappointing for you. Just like Powell for us he came off the bench and did his best to give the game to the opposition.

The weather certainly helped Tigers as it was a leveller for the backlines. Tigers did oddly try more invention than in week 1. Hopefully that's a sign we might actually run a backs move next weekend.

[Oakboy]

I really hope Atkinson gets a new club soon.

[FKAS]

I really hope Atkinson gets a new club soon.

To be fair he's lost out on form. He was poor Vs Bristol and Shillcock has come in and played very well. Shillcock was man of the match today.

You'll be pleased to hear that Bedford graduate Charlie Clare had a storming 80 minutes. One of the best performances of his career.

[FKAS]

Maybe it should be CHARLIE CLARE!!! going forward.

[Which Tyler]

Cloete was particularly disappointing for you. Just like Powell for us he came off the bench and did his best to give the game to the opposition.

Cloete did the same last week as well, needs a couple of weeks out of the side

[FKAS]

Cloete was particularly disappointing for you. Just like Powell for us he came off the bench and did his best to give the game to the opposition.

Cloete did the same last week as well, needs a couple of weeks out of the side

On the upside for you Barbeary is delivering the hard graft work you want from an 8 and not just a few explosive moments. If he stays fit could really be in the mix for England as well. His work rate was noticeable.

[Emsworth]

Cloete was particularly disappointing for you. Just like Powell for us he came off the bench and did his best to give the game to the opposition.

Cloete did the same last week as well, needs a couple of weeks out of the side

On the upside for you Barbeary is delivering the hard graft work you want from an 8 and not just a few explosive moments. If he stays fit could really be in the mix for England as well. His work rate was noticeable.

Thought Barbeary was a little unlucky to get pinged for that 'hands past the ball' penalty as well. See plenty of those not given. If he can do more breakdown work he'll have to have a chance of getting a sniff for England.