Bath v Leicester

[Which Tyler]

Sat: 5.30
Ref: Anthony Woodthorpe
TJs: Jack Makepeace & Wayne Falla
TMO: David Rose

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Ted Hill
7 Sam Underhill
8 Alfie Barbeary

09 Ben Spencer ©
10 Finn Russell
11 Will Muir
12 Will Butt
13 Cameron Redpath
14 Joe Cokanasiga
15 Ciaran Donoghue

16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Guy Pepper, 23 Arthur Green
21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Max Ojomoh

Much stronger than I would like.
In JvG we (have to) trust.


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 Will Hurd, 19 Matt Rogerson, 20 Emeka Ilione
21 Ben Youngs, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Dan Kelly

[FKAS]

Will Hurd comes in for Cole for Tigers. Not sure why.

Bath looking very strong, presumably wanting to build up before next week and also pick up a statement win at home.

I'm expecting Bat to edge this one in the tight five and that to give them the momentum to unleash Russell and ultimately win the game. If Tigers can ensure set piece is even then this could open up into a cracking game.

[Puja]

Bath showing no respect to Leicester or the league whatsoever by putting out a massively rotated team, with 14 changes to the starting lineup. Hopefully we should be able to put such a weakened team to the sword!

Should be a hell of a match with both teams going very nearly full-bore - hopefully a dress rehearsal for the final? Good to see Ojomoh back fit again from an England perspective.

Puja

[Danno]

Bath showing no respect to Leicester or the league whatsoever by putting out a massively rotated team, with 14 changes to the starting lineup. Hopefully we should be able to put such a weakened team to the sword!
Puja

[fivepointer]

Really good to see Ojomoh back and Green retained in the matchday 23.

[Banquo]

Bath showing no respect to Leicester or the league whatsoever by putting out a massively rotated team, with 14 changes to the starting lineup. Hopefully we should be able to put such a weakened team to the sword!

Should be a hell of a match with both teams going very nearly full-bore - hopefully a dress rehearsal for the final? Good to see Ojomoh back fit again from an England perspective.

Puja

well played

[FKAS]

So we're not reviewing Ewels elbow straight to OHC's head? What is the TMO doing, minimum yellow card. Commentators can't believe there's no review.

[Which Tyler]

Ewels getting away with one on OHC

[Which Tyler]

So we're not reviewing Ewels elbow straight to OHC's head? What is the TMO doing, minimum yellow card. Commentators can't believe there's no review.

Maybe he's evening things up from earlier?

[FKAS]

Ewels getting away with one on OHC

Just realised the TMO is Rose. Tigers will get sweet FA from the TMO today.

[FKAS]

So we're not reviewing Ewels elbow straight to OHC's head? What is the TMO doing, minimum yellow card. Commentators can't believe there's no review.

Maybe he's evening things up from earlier?

Muir dips after he knocks the ball on which saved Chessum. If he hadn't reached down to try and retrieve the ball Chessum could have been in bigger trouble.

[FKAS]

Oh shock. Rose calls one in Tigers favour. Maybe he realises he dropped the ball on the Ewels one. Feels a touch harsh to give Dunn a yellow there.

[Which Tyler]

Chessum could easily have been red, NB I'm not saying should.
I've never seen a lineout fumble given as a deliberate knock-on
Hill got out of the way immediately, and was out of the way before the first Leicester player arrived, which... is what he's supposed to do

But yeah, sure, ref is 100% on Bath's side, missing every bath offense and imagining them for Leicester

Ewels should have been yellow at least
Dunndid enough to give ref a decision to make on penalty or card, no complaints

[FKAS]

ref is 100% on Bath's side, missing every bath offense and imagining them for Leicester

Nah ref is doing a good job. He's got his hands full as well.

The TMO has had previous for iffy decisions against Tigers.

[FKAS]

Ted Hill's getting the plaudits but Muir standing up Radwan and forcing him to step and go the long way round as opposed to diving in gave time for the Bath cover defence.

[FKAS]

If they go back to see if the ball is ripped after the tackle this Bath try might get chalked off. Otherwise brilliant counter attack from Bath.

[Which Tyler]

I'd missed the news about Josh Hill.
RIP young man

And, as it's Mental Health week - if anyone needs to reach out, feel free to PM me

[FKAS]

I'd missed the news about Josh Hill.
RIP young man

And, as it's Mental Health week - if anyone needs to reach out, feel free to PM me

It is ok to not be ok.

[FKAS]

Top quality offload from Russell, earlier in the season Steward was just concentrating on smashing the ball carrier but since the new defence coach he's gone back to trying to cover the space. The player covering behind him isn't going to make it, you're a big bloke, just snot the ball carrier and worry about the rest later.

[FKAS]

Tigers well off the boil with Youngs and Kelly on for JvP and Woodward, all the speed of pass gone in the backline. Bath in the ascendancy having weathered their period under the pump really well.

[FKAS]

Tigers going to get what they deserve from this game, nothing. Woeful second half, no intensity or accuracy.

[FKAS]

I think I can change the wheel on my car quicker than Ben Youngs can release a pass today, fucking hell. He didn't even need to throw the massive dummy there, gift for Ojomoh.

[FKAS]

Bath grew into the game, each sub coming on and keeping the intensity. Tigers game aged like an open can of Fosters in a greenhouse. Each sub was worse than the man he replaced (Ilione aside).

[Puja]

Dunndid enough to give ref a decision to make on penalty or card, no complaints

Thought Dunn was bent at tbe hips and making a legal tackle - seemed very unlucky to me. Balances out with Ewels getting a miraculous escape a few minutes earlier though.

Well deserved by Bath. Thought Pollard was poor - if Ford had been playing for us, I think it would've been a very different result - but taking nothing away from Bath who shut us down very effectively. Good luck in Europe and hope you smash them!

Puja

[FKAS]

Bath shut us down brilliantly in the second half, you're spot on there. The tweak to their defensive line speed to cut off our ability to go wide and get to the danger men on the wings really did cut us off at the knees. Cracknell going off with a HIA only exacerbated our difficulty in getting over the gain line.

Pollard is a frustration. He can be so good but also in games like yesterday he does fade out of them.