Bristol vs Bath

[Epaminondas Pules]

BRISTOL v BATH

Charles Piutau 15 Tom Homer
Luke Morahan 14 Aled Brew
Piers O’Conor 13 Max Clark
Will Hurrell 12 Max Wright
Mat Protheroe 11 Levi Davis
Callum Sheedy 10 Rhys Priestland
Any Uren 9 Will Chudley
Nathan Hughes 8 Zach Mercer
Dan Thomas 7 Tom Ellis
Steven Luatua 6 Mike Williams
Joe Joyce 5 Josh McNally
Dave Attwood 4 Charlie Ewels
John Afoa 3 Chris Judge
Harry Thacker 2 Tom Dunn
Jake Woolmore 1 Beno Obano

Shaun Maulton 16 Jack Walker
Yann Thomas 17 Lewis Boyce
Max Lahiff 18 Will Stuart
Chris Vui 19 Elliott Stooke
Jake Heenan 20 Josh Bayliss
Harry Randall 21 Chris Cook
Ioan Lloyd 22 Freddie Burns
Alapati Leiua 23 Jamie Roberts

Bath picking a monster pack as expected.

Ioan Lloyd set to become Bristol's youngest ever premiership player. Seriously talented young man!

[fivepointer]

Full house expected.
Should be a terrific opener to the season.

[Digby]

Bristol actually look stronger on paper. Not sure I've ever thought that about a Brizzle vs Bath game

[Epaminondas Pules]

I agree. So long as their pack can match up to Bath, which they should be able to, then I think they'll get home in this one.

[Peej]

With Hughes taking more of the carrying duties from Vui/Luatua, I think this Bristol pack could be dangerous. When you see it down on paper, you can see they've recruited well

[Digby]

It is easier to recruit well when you're the richest club in the league

[Scrumhead]

To be fair to them, they’ve made one big signing for this season (Hughes) and that’s pretty much it.

Last season I said I thought they’d gone for depth over quality because they signed a lot of cheaper/less well-known squad players, but Lam has proved he’s pretty astute in the transfer market.

With the opportunity to offload Madigan next summer (who is on a massive salary for a mediocre return), I expect them to go big.

Anyway, I’m backing them for a home win tomorrow.

[fivepointer]

Yep, just Hughes and Attwood in this squad who are new to the club this season.

And even Attwood is a Bristol old boy. Lam building sensibly, trying to develop the talent he has and looking to a bit of youth.

[Digby]

I really don't see how signings like Afoa, Piutau, Attwood, Hughes and Luatua fall under building sensibly. That's handing over cash for the hope of quick returns. I don't want to knock Brizzle overly for that, they can afford it and Sarries have shown the cap is there to be ignored, but it's not something most sides can do 'sensibly'

[Scrumhead]

Yes, but that’s over 3 seasons.

Most of the players they signed last season were squad players like Woolmore, Theide, Daniels, Malton etc. and Randall was a bit of a gamble that probably came off quicker than expected.

I’m not suggesting that their spending power doesn’t help, but it’s not like they’re buying marquee players in bulk.

[jimKRFC]

Pat has been pretty sharp with his signings. He supposedly does a lot of work on them and signs players who are "coachable". Think this shows in the improvements that 2nd/3rd choice squad players elsewhere have come in and done really well (Malton, Yann, Holmes, D.Thomas etc..).

Anyway, really excited to see Ioan Lloyd selected over Madigan! 4 Bristolians in the side as well which is good to see (no idea when we last had an all Bristol 2nd row).

Just to add I'm very uncomfortable with the favourites tag we seemed to have picked up here..

[twitchy]

Barn storming start from bristol.

[twitchy]

Why is mercer still on?

[Peej]

That was a pretty emphatic statement from Bristol!

[Shiny]

I imagine as a visiting player Ashton Gate is not a nice play to be. Well done Brizzle.

[twitchy]

Yep big result for them.

[jimKRFC]

Blimey.... Didn't expect that.

Cut out the mistakes and hit our kicks and we'll be ok I think.

[Digby]

I thought it'd be closer than that

[Raggs]

Bristol looked good. Bath didn't, and I don't think it was Bristol necessarily making them look bad.

[twitchy]

Also looks like hughes has found a good fit for his style.

Quality ground/crowd.

[Oakboy]

Also looks like hughes has found a good fit for his style.

Quality ground/crowd.

Sensible comment about Hughes. He is what he is and used properly he is as good as any other 8 in the GP. Used wrongly he is not - as Jones demonstrated.