Bath vs Irish

[Puja]

Good news for those hoping to see young back row options going to SA - Mercer's back in the XXIII.

Bath: Homer; Vuna, Banahan, Wilson, Brew; Priestland, Fotuali'i; Noguera, Dunn, Perenise, Garvey (capt), Stooke, Ellis, Louw, Faletau.

Replacements: Walker, Vaughan, Delmas, Phillips, Mercer, Green, Burns, Clark.

London Irish: Tonks; Cokanasigsa, Fowlie, Mulchrone, Loader; Brophy Clews, Steele; Elrington, Porecki, Hoskins, Van der Merwe (capt), De Chaves, McNally, Cowan, Treviranus.

Replacements: Paice, Franks, Du Plessis, Cooke, Basham, Van Zyl, Williams, Lewington.

[Which Tyler]

Mercer was back last week, did well

[fivepointer]

Predictable big win for Bath.
They've done very well to finish on a high and earn Champions Cup rugby next season.
Banahan finishes with a hat trick. He's served the club splendidly.

[Digby]

Saw the highlights on 5 tonight, why was Burns allowed to knock the ball on on purpose to himself? Has there been yet another directive or did the ref just drop a bollock?

[Which Tyler]

Because it's not illegal to do that.
It's only a knock on if the ball then hits the floor; he knocked it up and forwards, and successfully regathered; so it's juggling the ball, which is allowed.
Had he failed to regather, it would probably have been a yellow card (he might ave gotten away with it had he been in a position to regather, but couldn't due to being tackled)

[Digby]

I don't think that was a juggle, I think he's knocked it on with intent, which I understood meant it doesn't then matter if the ball doesn't touch the floor or another player before it's gathered, indeed they issued an edict saying just that.

[Puja]

Because it's not illegal to do that.
It's only a knock on if the ball then hits the floor; he knocked it up and forwards, and successfully regathered; so it's juggling the ball, which is allowed.
Had he failed to regather, it would probably have been a yellow card (he might ave gotten away with it had he been in a position to regather, but couldn't due to being tackled)

Yes, but the law about deliberately throwing or slapping the ball forward is separate from the knock-on. That's why you can't throw the ball over someone's head to yourself - it can't be a deliberate action otherwise it's a penalty.

Mind, I think Burns's one has enough doubt that he could claim that the first was a failed attempt to gather and there'd be enough doubt to let it stand.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Quite aside from that, I did enjoy London Irish’s last try. Some great play by Tonks, van Zyl and McNally.

[Digby]

Because it's not illegal to do that.
It's only a knock on if the ball then hits the floor; he knocked it up and forwards, and successfully regathered; so it's juggling the ball, which is allowed.
Had he failed to regather, it would probably have been a yellow card (he might ave gotten away with it had he been in a position to regather, but couldn't due to being tackled)

Yes, but the law about deliberately throwing or slapping the ball forward is separate from the knock-on. That's why you can't throw the ball over someone's head to yourself - it can't be a deliberate action otherwise it's a penalty.

Mind, I think Burns's one has enough doubt that he could claim that the first was a failed attempt to gather and there'd be enough doubt to let it stand.

Puja

If that can stand then cross field and dink kicks look an even better idea.

[Which Tyler]

Worth noting - someone cocked up when counting Banahan's try tally - he DID reach 100 tries against LI:
https://www.bathrugby.com/news/milestone-matt/

[Puja]

Worth noting - someone cocked up when counting Banahan's try tally - he DID reach 100 tries against LI:
https://www.bathrugby.com/news/milestone-matt/

That's good news! Although frankly, I've got no clue why the fourth one against Irish wasn't given, so he should've had it anyway. Wasn't even remotely a double-movement.

Puja

[Digby]

Who's scored more tries for Bath than Banahan? Guscott probably, Adebayo maybe, after that I'm either overlooking the obvious or the names go further back than I recall

[Banquo]

Who's scored more tries for Bath than Banahan? Guscott probably, Adebayo maybe, after that I'm either overlooking the obvious or the names go further back than I recall

Swift, Trick maybe.

[Digby]

Who's scored more tries for Bath than Banahan? Guscott probably, Adebayo maybe, after that I'm either overlooking the obvious or the names go further back than I recall

Swift, Trick maybe.

Swift Trick sounds like an adult entertainer that Trump obviously never had an affair with. I think both names have some familiarity to them, but nothing I could place.

[Puja]

Who's scored more tries for Bath than Banahan? Guscott probably, Adebayo maybe, after that I'm either overlooking the obvious or the names go further back than I recall

Swift, Trick maybe.

I believe Swift, Trick and Guscott are the only ones ahead of Bananaman. A google tells me Adebayo finished in the 90s.

Puja

[p/d]

I know Hall topped the charts as a forward, but not sure if he dotted down as many times as Banahan