Tigers v Bath

[Epaminondas Pules]

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Burns [82]
14 Guy Porter [22]
13 Matt Scott [30]
12 Dan Kelly [25]
11 Nemani Nadolo [22]
10 George Ford (c) [112]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [26]
1 Francois van Wyk [4]
2 Nic Dolly [8]
3 Dan Cole [271]
4 Harry Wells [131]
5 Calum Green [66]
6 Ollie Chessum [13]
7 Tommy Reffell [53]
8 Cyle Brink [17] *

REPLACEMENTS
16 Tom Cowan-Dickie [3]
17 Nephi Leatigaga [48]
18 Joe Heyes [77]
19 Eli Snyman [5]
20 George Martin [22]
21 Richard Wigglesworth [19]
22 Bryce Hegarty [1]
23 Kini Murimurivalu [25]

* denotes first appearance of the 2021/22 season

Bath Rugby: 15 Orlando Bailey, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Max Clark, 11 Will Muir, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Ollie Fox; 1 Juan Schoeman, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 4 Josh McNally (c), 5 Ewan Richards, 6 Tom Ellis, 7 Richard de Carpentier, 8 Miles Reid

Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Arthur Cordwell, 18 Kieran Verden, 19 Nahum Merigan, 20 Tom Cowan, 21 Max Green, 22 Max Ojomoh, 23 Ruaridh McConnochie

[Puja]

I am nervous about being cocky, especially given our recent history. However, that is a very handy Leicester side, even with the international callups. And injuries and callups have left that Bath side looking vulnerable, even without the consideration that they're in a miserable run of form.

It's a Friday night match in November, so it could very easily end up being a muddy mess, but to me this looks like a chance to pay Bath back for the consecutive dickings that they handed out to us a few seasons back.

Puja

[FKAS]

Agreed. On paper this should be a humbling experience for Bath. However, how often have we seen a much reduced team buoyed with youthful exuberance and players desperate to make a point. Bath's team will be able to play without pressure, with a reckless abandon if it suits them. Tigers will have a huge weight of expectancy.

That being said you'd still hope Tigers can wrap this up early and then get the likes of Ford and Nadolo off and away from possible injury. Give some game time to squad players.

[fivepointer]

Be a major surprise if Tigers dont win with quite a bit to spare.

The Bath starting XV looks OK but that is a very green bench.

[Which Tyler]

Please bring vaseline

The Bath starting XV looks OK but that is a very green bench.

Only if you consider the tight 5 to be unimportant in rugby...

[Peej]

What's up with Liebenberg?

It's not a bad backline from Bath, but there's a fair old gulf between the packs.

[Puja]

What's up with Liebenberg?

It's not a bad backline from Bath, but there's a fair old gulf between the packs.

Injured in the win against Sale - did something to his shoulder when reaching out to score a try.

Puja

[Peej]

Ta.

[Which Tyler]

As I was doing this earlier in the season...


1. Schoemann - 3rd choice
2. Dunn - 1st choice
3. Rae - 3rd choice
4. McNally - 1st choice
5. Richards - 5th choice (albeit to cover 2 positions, so call it 4th)
6. Ellis - 2nd choice
7. De Carpentier - 3rd choise
8. Reid - 4th/5th choice (at 8)

09. Fox - 3rd choice (from before the season started)
10. Cipriani - 1st choice
11. Muir - 1st choice
12. Clarke - 3rd choice (at IC)
13. Joseph - 1st choice
14. Rokoduguni - 5th choice
15. Bailey - 4th/5th choice (at FB)

So overall, a 2.7th choice XV

[Puja]

14. Rokoduguni - 5th choice

Really?! That seems harsh. Cokanasiga, Watson (and, at the risk of ruining a running joke, are you double-counting him as one of the full-back options missing), McConnochie, and Muir? I'm assuming you're talking about across both wings, as I can't imagine you have 8 wings better than him, so it's probably fairer to say that he's third choice for one wing.

I'm astounded that de Carpentier is as high as your third choice at 7, but that's more a critique of Bath's squad building than saying you've got it wrong.

You have had rotten luck with injuries though. My sympathies do go out to you.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Hard to see past a very comfortable Tigers win here. I’d fancy Dolly to pick up another try on two.

[Which Tyler]

Yes, counting Roko across both wings (and hadn't realised, like I had for Richards).
Muir, McConnochie, Cokanasinga and Hamer-Webb all start ahead of him when fit.
These days, he's just counting down time on his contract having lost a couple of yards of pace. I don't recall seeing him sprint since the league restarted in August 2020.

As for DeCarpentier, I'm counting him as 5th of our 5 senior flankers - your right though in that he'd probably be lower as an OSF.

Just call me Mr Internally Inconsistent

[Puja]

Just realised we've had Matt Scott back from Scotland. Add him to Ford and Nadolo (and Ewels to look at the opposition) and we're doing quite well out of unexpected bonuses from bizarre international selections.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Just realised we've had Matt Scott back from Scotland. Add him to Ford and Nadolo (and Ewels to look at the opposition) and we're doing quite well out of unexpected bonuses from bizarre international selections.

Puja

Nice to see him finally find his groove a bit with Leicester. Unfortunately a pairing with B&I Lions legend Chris Harris wouldn't give Scotland the deftest of handling skills in midfield but I'd love to see him get another cap at some point.

[twitchy]

[FKAS]

Baths defence looks pretty poor but in attack they look dangerous. This could be more interesting than anticipated.

[Raggs]

Cips doing Cips things, both good and bad.

[FKAS]

Cips doing Cips things, both good and bad.

Yeah you can't say you don't know what you're going to get with Cipriani.

Tigers are maybe playing a bit too much. Yes the Bath defence is bad but I think we need to tenderise it with some big carriers a bit first. Unless this is a Borthers ploy to try and tire the Bath pack by forcing them to run.

[Raggs]

Jesus... In about 6 months I'd be annoyed at one of my u10s for doing that, for a prem backrower not to understand you can just reach over and grab the ball in a ruck...

[FKAS]

Jesus... In about 6 months I'd be annoyed at one of my u10s for doing that, for a prem backrower not to understand you can just reach over and grab the ball in a ruck...

I have no idea what he's thinking. I think he then gave Tigers the advantage at the next rolling maul. Bath captain probably just needs to have a word in his ear to calm down.

[Which Tyler]

I can tell you what he's thinking "We're f***ing desperate, but somehow still in this - oh look, a bally"

[FKAS]

Tigers indiscipline is criminal. Borthwick is going to be fuming at half time. Inexcusable penalties being conceded.

That and the inability to take a frigging high ball. Steward's agent will be highlighting this in any contract negotiations.

[Scrumhead]

Quite impressed by Fox tonight. JvP has been poor in comparison.

[FKAS]

Quite impressed by Fox tonight. JvP has been poor in comparison.

JVP has shown his inexperience. I really had him as one who was going to enjoy tonight as well.

[Puja]

Quite impressed by Fox tonight. JvP has been poor in comparison.

JVP has shown his inexperience. I really had him as one who was going to enjoy tonight as well.

Same. He is still very young and has a lot of rough edges that will only get filed off with experience. I was definitely wrong to complain about our retention of Wigglesworth as a player at the start of the season; he's been utterly necessary.

Such a frustrating match - so many completely futile penalties from both sides. Can't tell who's better when each side are determined to give the other gifts.

Puja