Approaching a Climax - Bath v Leicester

[Which Tyler]

Bath V Leicester Tigers

Saturday 14 June 2025.
Twickenham Stadium
KO: 3pm
ITV1, TNT, STV

Ref: Karl Dickson
TJs: Luke Pearce, Adam Leal
TMO: Ian Tempest

[FKAS]

Of the four officials the best two are running the line. Hmm.

[Which Tyler]

Whoever adapts quickest, wins

[FKAS]

Whoever adapts quickest, wins

Certainly will, with Tempo being in the van there will be TMO interventions as well.

Tigers will need to match Bath physically for the full 80 and find a way to get to Spencer. If they can keep him muted Bath won't function as well.

[Which Tyler]

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Ted Hill
7 Guy Pepper
8 Miles Reid

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

16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Josh Bayliss, 23 Alfie Barbeary
21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Ciaran Donoghue


Leicester:
1 Nicky Smith
2 Julián Montoya (c)
3 Joe Heyes
4 Cameron Henderson
5 Ollie Chessum
6 Hanro Liebenberg
7 Tommy Reffell
8 Olly Cracknell

09 Jack van Poortvliet
10 Handré Pollard
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins
12 Joseph Woodward
13 Solomone Kata
14 Adam Radwan
15 Freddie Steward

16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Cronin, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Matt Rogerson, 20 Emeka Ilione
21 Ben Youngs, 22 Ben Volavola , 23 Izaia Perese

[FKAS]

Tigers unchanged from last weekend

Looks like Bath are keeping back some ball carrying impact for the second half and maybe fancy similar tactics to the league game a few weeks back where they put Tigers to the sword in the second half after a close first half.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Can only see one winner here, but hopefully we give a good game of it.

[Which Tyler]

It's a final,
Scoreboard starts at 0-0, and both are perfectly capable of beating the other.
I'd be surprised if either wins by more than a score - which means it comes down to the bounce of a ball, a hamstring, an HIA, an obstructed view for the ref/cameras...

Play this match 10 times, and Bath probably win 5-6

[Oakboy]

As a neutral, I am looking forward to the game and some of the match-ups. It's fascinating to consider the combined XV. It would not be traditional to pick more Bath forwards and more Leicester backs but I think I would. Theoretically, that points to a Bath win, I suppose.

[fivepointer]

Sure its a final and anyone can win. Bath have been the best team in England this season and must be clear favourites.

[Mikey Brown]

I know Bath like a big carrier off the bench, but Reid as an 8 ahead of Barbeary just doesn’t make sense to me.

[FKAS]

I know Bath like a big carrier off the bench, but Reid as an 8 ahead of Barbeary just doesn’t make sense to me.

Big work rate in the first half, attack the breakdown and play wide. Look to try and tire the Tigers forwards and then use the stronger bench to win the match in the second half.

Also Tigers wide defence can be iffy, particularly the transition between 13 and wing, deploying Woodward there has helped but it's a weakness and Sale found gaps there twice after Perese came on last weekend. Having the extra mobility to target those areas makes sense early doors. Tigers have limited carrying impact in their forwards replacements so making big guys like Liebenburg, Chessum, Cracknell, Henderson, Heyes and Smith run a lot will mean the likes of Rogerson, Cronin and Cole earlier who aren't going to cover gaps if the game breaks up and Barbeary/Bayliss start accelerating into holes.

[Mikey Brown]

I mean that’s sound logic if Bath are getting on the front foot in the first place. It will be interesting to see how much they vary the attack.

Big game for Pepper you feel.

[Banquo]

I mean that’s sound logic if Bath are getting on the front foot in the first place. It will be interesting to see how much they vary the attack.

Big game for Pepper you feel.

Aye. Salty tween him and Reffell

[Oakboy]

I mean that’s sound logic if Bath are getting on the front foot in the first place. It will be interesting to see how much they vary the attack.

Big game for Pepper you feel.

Aye. Salty tween him and Reffell

Spicy, even.

[Oakboy]

Not who I'd pick but interesting:

[FKAS]

Not who I'd pick but interesting:

You'd not field Ted Hill on the wing?

I don't think he's to far off. Combined for me would be;

Smith, Montoya, du Toit
Ewels, Chessum
Hill, Liebenburg, Reffell
JvP/Spencer (don't mind which), Russell
Redpath, Ojomoh
OHC, Steward, Radwan

Cheating slightly moving Liebenburg to 8 but he's to good a player to leave out and you'd have the option of having him and Ted Hill on either flank giving width to the attack. Ewels is a poor international lock but at club level he's brilliant.

[Oakboy]

Not who I'd pick but interesting:

You'd not field Ted Hill on the wing?

I don't think he's to far off. Combined for me would be;

Smith, Montoya, du Toit
Ewels, Chessum
Hill, Liebenburg, Reffell
JvP/Spencer (don't mind which), Russell
Redpath, Ojomoh
OHC, Steward, Radwan

Cheating slightly moving Liebenburg to 8 but he's to good a player to leave out and you'd have the option of having him and Ted Hill on either flank giving width to the attack. Ewels is a poor international lock but at club level he's brilliant.

Do you really rate Redpath? I've always had doubts. I'd go with Woodward. I do rate Reffell highly but I'd prefer Pepper. I'd have Obano ahead of Smith. Ewels? You are probably right but I hate admitting it.

[FKAS]

Not who I'd pick but interesting:

You'd not field Ted Hill on the wing?

I don't think he's to far off. Combined for me would be;

Smith, Montoya, du Toit
Ewels, Chessum
Hill, Liebenburg, Reffell
JvP/Spencer (don't mind which), Russell
Redpath, Ojomoh
OHC, Steward, Radwan

Cheating slightly moving Liebenburg to 8 but he's to good a player to leave out and you'd have the option of having him and Ted Hill on either flank giving width to the attack. Ewels is a poor international lock but at club level he's brilliant.

Do you really rate Redpath? I've always had doubts. I'd go with Woodward. I do rate Reffell highly but I'd prefer Pepper. I'd have Obano ahead of Smith. Ewels? You are probably right but I hate admitting it.

Redpath is a bit more finished than Woodward, Woodward is a bit raw at the minute. Redpath just seems to get the Bath midfield organised and working.

Obano I rate as a good all round player but Smith was in the Lions conversation for a reason and is probably one injury away from touring.

Yeah, not a fan of Ewels but he is very good for Bath.

Reffell Vs Pepper is a close call, I think Pepper has got more about him ball in hand but Reffell's work rate is ridiculous and often unnoticed. Bit like at 9 you could make a case for either and I'd be happy with it.

[Mikey Brown]

Redpath’s issue is just staying fit. He’s absolutely class.

[Oakboy]

Redpath’s issue is just staying fit. He’s absolutely class.

You're not alone in saying that but I'd say that Ojomoh and Lawrence was Bath's best centre pairing if all were fit. I've always thought Redpath goes missing for periods and sometimes seems weak in defence. He's been a core part of the best team, though, so maybe I need to reconsider.

[Which Tyler]

I have to say, if trying to do a combined XV... there would be A LOT of positions where there's really nothing in it, and 2-3 that are literal coin tosses

Smith, Montoya, DuToit
Ewels, Chessum
Hill, Refell, Liebenberg

JvP, Russell
Redpath, Ojomoh
OHC, Radwan, DeGlanville

Dunn, Obano, Stuart, Roux, (Cracknell/Barbeary)
Spencer, Donoghue, (Kata)


ETA: I've manned up, and actually made picks for almost all positions

[Danno]

I have to say, if trying to do a combined XV... there would be A LOT of positions where there's really nothing in it, and 2-3 that are literal coin tosses

Smith, Montoya, DuToit
Ewels, Chessum
Hill, Refell, Liebenberg

JvP, Russell
Redpath, Ojomoh
OHC, Radwan, DeGlanville

Dunn, Obano, Stuart, Roux, (Cracknell/Barbeary)
Spencer, Donoghue, (Kata)


ETA: I've manned up, and actually made picks for almost all positions

It does have a whiff of bald men fighting over a comb. These two teams are in the final for a reason

[Oakboy]

I have to say, if trying to do a combined XV... there would be A LOT of positions where there's really nothing in it, and 2-3 that are literal coin tosses

Smith, Montoya, DuToit
Ewels, Chessum
Hill, Refell, Liebenberg

JvP, Russell
Redpath, Ojomoh
OHC, Radwan, DeGlanville

Dunn, Obano, Stuart, Roux, (Cracknell/Barbeary)
Spencer, Donoghue, (Kata)


ETA: I've manned up, and actually made picks for almost all positions

It does have a whiff of bald men fighting over a comb. These two teams are in the final for a reason

It hurts to be found out! In terms of pure viewing excitement, I'm most looking forward to watching Russell and Radwan. Beyond that, like most neutrals, I just want a good game.

[Danno]

I have to say, if trying to do a combined XV... there would be A LOT of positions where there's really nothing in it, and 2-3 that are literal coin tosses

Smith, Montoya, DuToit
Ewels, Chessum
Hill, Refell, Liebenberg

JvP, Russell
Redpath, Ojomoh
OHC, Radwan, DeGlanville

Dunn, Obano, Stuart, Roux, (Cracknell/Barbeary)
Spencer, Donoghue, (Kata)


ETA: I've manned up, and actually made picks for almost all positions

It does have a whiff of bald men fighting over a comb. These two teams are in the final for a reason

It hurts to be found out! In terms of pure viewing excitement, I'm most looking forward to watching Russell and Radwan. Beyond that, like most neutrals, I just want a good game.

Hear hear. I hope they both come out fighting and we don't get a 9-6 snorefest