Bath vs Saints

[Puja]

Bath: Atkins; Rokoduguni, Brew; Willison, Cokanasiga; Burns, Green; Catt, Dunn, Thomas, Attwood, Charteris (capt), Ellis, Underhill, Faletau

Replacements: Walker, van Rooyen, Perenise, Stooke, Mercer, Cook, Priestland, Wright

Northampton: Tuala; Naiyaravoro, Symons, Francis, Collins; Biggar, Reinach; Waller (co-capt), Hartley (co-capt), Franks, Ribbans, Lawes, Gibson, Ludlam, Harrison

Replacements: Haywood, Van Wyk, Painter, Ratuniyarawa, Eadie, Mitchell, Kellaway, Mallinder

[Mellsblue]

Had to check that Bath team. Brew is at OC. The layout looks like Cokanasiga at IC.

[Mikey Brown]

He’ll be playing inside centre in France in a few years, mark my words. All the best wingers do.

[Peej]

He’ll be playing inside centre in France in a few years, mark my words. All the best wingers do.

A hint to your next career move, MB?

[Scrumhead]

Good to see Ludlam getting a start for Saints.

I’m amazed Mercer got dropped to the bench after a top performance against Quins.

[Which Tyler]

Good to see Ludlam getting a start for Saints.

I’m amazed Mercer got dropped to the bench after a top performance against Quins.

He didn't - Blackadder actually believes in squad rotation - he's done it whenever he's had the chance - which means about 3 times; but has always talked a good game about it, and actually given the impression that he believes in it too.
Equally, Attwood and Faletau weren't dropped last week either, just rested.

Interview with Zach: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/big-jims ... ach-mercer

[Scrumhead]

Rotation or not, he deserved to keep his place IMO.

[Digby]

The season is so long rotation is an imperative, and you might as well do it when you're able rather than wait and find yourself in an injury crisis. Doesn’t solve the problem of mental fatigue, but it's good to see it nonetheless

[Puja]

I think Blackadder still reeling from the idea of having more than 23 fit players and actually being able to select. No wonder he's getting his rotation in where he can.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

He does a couple of seasons worth of rotation to catch up on.

[Which Tyler]

Rotation or not, he deserved to keep his place IMO.

That's... not how rotation works

[Adam_P]

Good to see Ludlam getting a start for Saints.

Both Haskell and Brussow have injury or concussion issues, so the hand was forced really in starting Ludlam. Unfortunately, I don't think this will be a game where Ludlam is likely to shine based on what the weather is doing. Think we might miss Brussow, he has been very good so far this season. Saints back 5 is pretty lightweight in comparison to Baths, so it could be a bit of a challenge in the wet.

I'm hoping Saints can get Naiyaravoro involved a bit more than last week - I'd like to see him running hard lines in mid-field rather than waiting on his wing. Also looking forward to seeing Kellaway play in the first team - think he will be pushing hard at 13 or 15 in a few weeks time.

[Adam_P]

I'll eat my words, Ludlam is going very well so far. Symons having a good game at 13 too, much better than Burrell as he is doing the basics well

[Digby]

[


I'm hoping Saints can get Naiyaravoro involved a bit more than last week - I'd like to see him running hard lines in mid-field rather than waiting on his wing.

I know what you mean in both the impact he can have and boosting his involvement but if I were defending him I'd rather do that up the middle too. What you really want is getting usable ball wide to him and then being able to support and go again, but that's not the English way

[Adam_P]

He seems to like not being on his wing in defence, so it shouldn't be too hard for him to do it in attack.

7 all at the start of the 2nd half. Kellaway on for Symons.

[fivepointer]

Just a conversion in it at the end. Another try for Cokanasiga, who is having a tremendous start to the season.

[Puja]

Just seen the highlights. What a fantastic pass from Stooke for Cokanasiga's try - if that'd been Cipriani's we'd've been singing its praises, let alone from a lock.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

He seems to like not being on his wing in defence, so it shouldn't be too hard for him to do it in attack.

7 all at the start of the 2nd half. Kellaway on for Symons.

Ha. I’m really going to enjoy seeing how you go this season trying to predict him. With Northampton teetering so precariously between being totally awful and quite dangerous he is just the man to swing it wildly in one direction or the other.

[Which Tyler]

That was a bit of a squeaky bum - couple of bits of magic from Roko; but otherwise... tense rather than necessarily entertaining.
Very please to see that Bath actually seem to have a line-out now, for the first time since Borthwick left!
I'm guessing the wind must have been pretty terrible - so many errors, and a notable difference on kick length (and lineout throwing) going left to right versus right to left; but so many errors.
Freddie is getting this team clicking a bit more; but he'll need to find some goalkicking boots to be secure as first choice; especially in whether conditions like Saturday.

[Mikey Brown]

That was a bit of a squeaky bum - couple of bits of magic from Roko; but otherwise... tense rather than necessarily entertaining.
Very please to see that Bath actually seem to have a line-out now, for the first time since Borthwick left!
I'm guessing the wind must have been pretty terrible - so many errors, and a notable difference on kick length (and lineout throwing) going left to right versus right to left; but so many errors.
Freddie is getting this team clicking a bit more; but he'll need to find some goalkicking boots to be secure as first choice; especially in whether conditions like Saturday.

It's perhaps too simple but is it Charteris making the difference? You'd think Garvey is nailed on, given the last few seasons, but Attwood and Mercer/Ellis seem to be playing very well so it'll be interesting to see what your first choice team looks like if everyone is ever fit all at once.

[Puja]

That was a bit of a squeaky bum - couple of bits of magic from Roko; but otherwise... tense rather than necessarily entertaining.
Very please to see that Bath actually seem to have a line-out now, for the first time since Borthwick left!
I'm guessing the wind must have been pretty terrible - so many errors, and a notable difference on kick length (and lineout throwing) going left to right versus right to left; but so many errors.
Freddie is getting this team clicking a bit more; but he'll need to find some goalkicking boots to be secure as first choice; especially in whether conditions like Saturday.

I wouldn't be too harsh on Burns's kicking - the weather and wind was such that in the first half he was lucky to even get it starting in the right direction.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

I wouldn't be too harsh on Burns's kicking - the weather and wind was such that in the first half he was lucky to even get it starting in the right direction.

Not just this game; I think they said he was at 50% for the season - albeit early days