Bath v Bristol, Sat @ twickenham

[jimKRFC]

Bristol Bears team to face Bath Rugby at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, April 6th (2pm KO):

15. Luke Daniels; 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Siale Piutau (co-capt), 11. Alapati Leiua; 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Harry Randall; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. John Afoa, 4. Ed Holmes, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Steve Luatua, 7. Dan Thomas, 8. Jordan Crane (co-capt).

Replacements: 16. Nick Fenton-Wells, 17. James Lay, 18. Lewis Thiede, 19. Jack Lam, 20. George Smith, 21. Andy Uren, 22. Ian Madigan, 23. Tusi Pisi.

Unavailable: Will Capon (shoulder), Shaun Malton (groin), Joe Latta (eye), Joe Joyce (ankle), John Hawkins (elbow), James Dun (knee), Nick Haining (groin), Jack Tovey (rib), Will Hurrell (shoulder), Ryan Edwards (shoulder), Charles Piutau (calf).

JP Doyle to ref.

[jimKRFC]

Bath side:

15. Tom Homer
14. Joe Cokanasiga
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Ruaridh McConnochie
10. Rhys Priestland
9. Kahn Fotuali’I
1. Nathan Catt
2. Tom Dunn
3. Max Lahiff
4. Dave Attwood
5. Charlie Ewels (capt)
6. Tom Ellis
7. Sam Underhill
8. Zach Mercer

Replacements

16. Ross Batty
17. Beno Obano
18. Anthony Perenise
19. Elliott Stooke
20. Miles Reid
21. Chris Cook
22. Freddie Burns
23. Max Clark

[fivepointer]

60,000 tickets sold apparently. Thats a very good effort.

Expecting a tight, competitive game.

[Scrumhead]

Neither of these sides are very good at playing a ‘tight’ game though. I think a try fest with fairly optional defending is more likely.

[fivepointer]

Tight as in fairly close.
I expect tries. Bris play a very attractive and effective attacking game and there is plenty of strike power in the Bath line up.

[Timbo]

Francois Louw has an injury and is done now for the season.

By my count Louw and Underhill have been available to start in only 3 league games together across 2 whole seasons now. That speaks to their international commitments and the attritional nature of playing backrow, but even still. Roko, Cokanasiga and Watson still not played as a back 3 trio for Bath yet either.

[Which Tyler]

That latter is hardly surprising though, given a season-long injury to Watson, and it bring Coka's 1st season

[Timbo]

That latter is hardly surprising though, given a season-long injury to Watson, and it bring Coka's 1st season

Yes, absolutely. Just can see it being a foreshadowing of what’s to come unfortunately.

[Which Tyler]

I love you JJ!

[Banquo]

Lovely play from Brizzle

[Timbo]

JJ wants his England spot back.

[Banquo]

JJ showing the lot in the first 10.

[Which Tyler]

I love you JJ!

[Banquo]

JJ wants his England spot back.

and it should be so. On song he has all you want.

[Which Tyler]

Wtf?
Ball is out, and in the SH's hands.
When ARE we allowed to tackle the SH these days?

[Banquo]

Brizzle brilliant handling and running lines.

[Banquo]

Wtf?
Ball is out, and in the SH's hands.
When ARE we allowed to tackle the SH these days?

He said it was out, however ruled Randall didn't have possession

[Which Tyler]

Wtf?
Ball is out, and in the SH's hands.
When ARE we allowed to tackle the SH these days?

He said it was out, however ruled Randall didn't have possession

But his hands were on it

[Banquo]

Wtf?
Ball is out, and in the SH's hands.
When ARE we allowed to tackle the SH these days?

He said it was out, however ruled Randall didn't have possession

But his hands were on it

I'm not the ref.

[Which Tyler]

And thats offside (front man of the ruck, both feet in front of the ball, reaches back, picks up, and goes)

[Banquo]

Ugo half right; JJ makes a ton of tackles as well. I love him too

(9 so far)

[Which Tyler]

Coka offside that time (same way, but far far les obvious)

[Banquo]

Joe will be off soon, Shoulder

[Which Tyler]

Joe will be off soon, Shoulder

Sadly so.
Which will presumably be JJ to wing, Clarke on, or possibly Homer to wing, Burns to FB

[Banquo]

Lot to like about Randall so far.