RugbyRebels

Bristol Bears team to face Bath Rugby at Ashton Gate on Friday, October 1st (7.45pm KO):

15. Charles Piutau; 14. Ioan Lloyd, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Harry Randall; 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Will Capon, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Ed Holmes, 5. Joe Joyce, 6. Chris Vui, 7. Jake Heenan, 8. Steven Luatua (c).

System players: 16. Jake Kerr, 17. Jake Woolmore, 18. Max Lahiff, 19. Fitz Harding, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Andy Uren, 22. Antoine Frisch, 23. Alapati Leiua.

Good to see Stuart and McNally back - by gods we've missed them.
Otherwise, interesting to see some unforced rotation - Specifically Dunn and Reid to bench, Jonker at home.

Not a fan of Watson playing; ditching the 10 week rest post-lions has absolutely nothing to do with player welfare, and I don't trust a single club as far as I could thrown the team bus to actually judge that right (albeit, player welfare is something Hooper seems to have walked the walk on)

Surprised there's no pace for Coetzee, but I guess he's still getting up to speed with what Bath laughably call our "systems"

Bit disappointed to see no Thacker or Attwood - hopefully they aren't out for long. Not convinved by Luatua at 8, think Eadie would have been worth a go as more of direct Hughes replacement.

Given form this could be a high scoring neutrals delight or a total shambles...

jimKRFC wrote:Given form this could be a high scoring neutrals delight or a total shambles...

One of those is definitely more likely than the former

Sinckler back I note. So much for the Lions players getting 10 weeks off.

Changes at 9 and 12 too and the bench freshened up. Bris have got to be better than the last weeks, surely?

Stuart returning is a boost for Bath and its good to see Boyce in the 23. Another Lion, Watson, on the bench.

I'm optimistic we'll see a high scoring delight.

jimKRFC wrote:Bit disappointed to see no Thacker or Attwood - hopefully they aren't out for long. Not convinved by Luatua at 8, think Eadie would have been worth a go as more of direct Hughes replacement.

Given form this could be a high scoring neutrals delight or a total shambles...

I think Thacker’s injury is quite minor. Apparently a knock to the hip.

Interesting to see some of the players Bristol have left out, and where Lam has swung the axe a little as well as coping with injuries. I wonder why Radradra still isn't in the side?

Semi was back late and there's a rumour (unsubstaniated) that he returned injured, so not sure when he'll be fit. THe sooner he's fit the better. Really wish Pat Llam had gone after props over the summer - Schonnert would have really been good for us.

fivepointer wrote:Stuart returning is a boost for Bath and its good to see Boyce in the 23. Another Lion, Watson, on the bench.

I'd managed not to notice that - excellent news!

Which Tyler wrote:Not a fan of Watson playing; ditching the 10 week rest post-lions has absolutely nothing to do with player welfare, and I don't trust a single club as far as I could thrown the team bus to actually judge that right (albeit, player welfare is something Hooper seems to have walked the walk on).

Very much the same, and not just because it means Leicester are likely to face a very different Saracens side this weekend now that the rules have been bent. Even for those players who didn't get much Lions action, they still had the training and the stress and didn't get a very long off-season. In addition, all of the players on the Lions tour (with the possible exception of Simmonds and Smith) have been coming off the back of consistent overplaying for club and country and need a prolonged rest on general principles.

Puja

Exactly.
People often forget the mental side of downtime, and just concentrate on the physical; and therefore think that someone who went on the Lions tour and played one warm-up has essentially had a whole summer off.
They were still training hard.
They were still doing video analysis.
They still didn't get the chance to just switch off and read a book.

jimKRFC wrote:Semi was back late and there's a rumour (unsubstaniated) that he returned injured, so not sure when he'll be fit. THe sooner he's fit the better. Really wish Pat Llam had gone after props over the summer - Schonnert would have really been good for us.

just seen this from OptaJonny - Bristol Bears have a win rate of 78% (14/18) in @premrugby when Semi Radradra features, compared to 50% (8/16) when he doesn't play (since his debut).

Thats quite a difference.

Just me hearing the ref cough (and I think burp) a lot?

Which Tyler wrote:Exactly.
People often forget the mental side of downtime, and just concentrate on the physical; and therefore think that someone who went on the Lions tour and played one warm-up has essentially had a whole summer off.
They were still training hard.
They were still doing video analysis.
They still didn't get the chance to just switch off and read a book.

There isn't a like button on the forum otherwise you'd have got one. Very much agree. There's nothing relaxing about being in a bubble in SA away from your family.

The Ewels knock on early doors is a shocker. Good to see both sides throwing the ball around straight from the off.

Creating chances here, both teams TBF.
Ewels does a Kay.., JJ can't quite keep it... JJ overdoes a grubber... Horse goes over, Bailey breaks 40m (thanks to a block, but still).

All that, and it's far from one-way traffic

Bristol look dreadful. Totally incapable of doing more than two things right. Defence is weak as well - can't see us wining this one.

You're not that bad tonight.
Not exactly resolute in defence but making plenty of ground with the ball

Whilst that's a shocking decision

Tempest having yet another nightmare.

Ballsy

That pass from McInally over the top of Joyce is filthy. He'll be dining out on that for months.

And pays off!

FKAS wrote:That pass from McInally over the top of Joyce is filthy. He'll be dining out on that for months.

Which Tyler wrote:And pays off!

Until the conversion attempt, very nice from Bailey. He's playing a very mature game tonight, seems to have grown up a lot over the summer. Looks confident, even the little things like putting his penalties close to the 5m line instead of giving himself a margin or error and going 10m out like Sheedy.

It's been a really tough 11 months, but I think I'm falling back in love with this sport.
Last season's final, and matches like this are just so much fun.
Whoever wins.

Let's just hope we've seen the last of Gatlandnpw he's been promoted out of harm's way.