RugbyRebels

Bath v Ulster
The Rec; 1.00pm, Channel 4 & BTSport
Ref: Marius Mitrea
TJs: Manuel Bottino, Mateto Liperini
TMO: Stefano Penne

Bath:
15. Freddie Burns
14. Semesa Rokoduguni
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Ruaridh McConnochie
10. Rhys Priestland
9. Will Chudley

1. Beno Obano
2. Tom Dunn
3. Will Stuart
4. Josh McNally
5. Charlie Ewels (c)
6. Mike Williams
7. Sam Underhill
8. Zach Mercer

16. Jack Walker, 17. Lewis Boyce, 18. Christian Judge, 19. Elliott Stooke, 20. Josh Bayliss
21. Chris Cook, 22. Max Wright, 23. Gabe Hamer-Webb


Ulster:
15. Will Addison
14. Rob Lyttle
13. Luke Marshall
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Billy Burns
9. John Cooney

1. Jack McGrath
2. Rob Herring
3. Marty Moore
4 Iain Henderson (c)
5. Sam Carter
6. Matthew Rea
7. Jordi Murphy
8. Marcell Coetzee

16. Adam McBurney, 17. Eric O'Sullivan, 18.Tom O'Toole, 19. Alan O'Connor, 20. Sean Reidy
21. David Shanahan, 22. Angus Curtis, 23. Louis Ludik.

With the possible exceptions of Faddes and Balacoune, that’s about the best 23 Ulster can put out. Should be a good game.

Scrumhead wrote:With the possible exceptions of Faddes and Balacoune, that’s about the best 23 Ulster can put out. Should be a good game.

Bath only really missing Faletau, Louw, Cokanasiga and Watson + Homer and Willison

Billy and Freddie Burns. Are they related?

How far away is Mercer from being considered again for England?

francoisfou wrote:Billy and Freddie Burns. Are they related?

Brothers. They've played against each other in the Prem before, sometimes directly opposing when both are at fly-half.

Puja

Puja wrote:

francoisfou wrote:Billy and Freddie Burns. Are they related?

Brothers. They've played against each other in the Prem before, sometimes directly opposing when both are at fly-half.

Puja

Moreso they’ve played with each other for Glos.

Looking at the pitch - lends a new meaning to the pool stages!

Gloskarlos wrote:

Puja wrote:

francoisfou wrote:Billy and Freddie Burns. Are they related?

Brothers. They've played against each other in the Prem before, sometimes directly opposing when both are at fly-half.

Puja

Moreso they’ve played with each other for Glos.

Played ‘together’ if you please

JJ looks a shadow of his former self.

In what way?

Only got half an eye on this. Pretty dull it seems. Bod berating players (particularly bath) for being stuuuuuuupid. Seems a problem at this level.

Which Tyler wrote:In what way?

Bemused me too.

Why didn’t Wright come on?

Banquo wrote:Why didn’t Wright come on?

Whichever it was, they'd be playing out of position, neither winger would be trusted to go to FB after all.

Lots of off the ball holding going on

Which Tyler wrote:

Banquo wrote:Why didn’t Wright come on?

Whichever it was, they'd be playing out of position

You’d think an outside back would be a better bet in the back 3. But then Cook may have played there for all I know

Bath trying to play too much when going backwards

Banquo wrote:

Which Tyler wrote:

Banquo wrote:Why didn’t Wright come on?

Whichever it was, they'd be playing out of position

You’d think an outside back would be a better bet in the back 3. But then Cook may have played there for all I know

Cook would have the better boot, the better decision making and theoretically the calmer head.

It's a little counter-intuitive, but only a little, and I with the individuals, I can certainly see some logic.

Instinct would say to bring on the centre, push JJ out to wing, and a wing to FB, but... JJ may have lost a yard of pace post-injury, and neither winger available would be any lessmout of place than Cook or Wright at FB

Which Tyler wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Which Tyler wrote: Whichever it was, they'd be playing out of position

You’d think an outside back would be a better bet in the back 3. But then Cook may have played there for all I know

Cook would have the better boot, the better decision making and theoretically the calmer head.

It's a little counter-intuitive, but only a little, and I with the individuals, I can certainly see some logic

Fair enough. Have either roko or the other sub played 15, out of interest?

Fooled by edit

Banquo wrote:

Which Tyler wrote:

Banquo wrote: You’d think an outside back would be a better bet in the back 3. But then Cook may have played there for all I know

Cook would have the better boot, the better decision making and theoretically the calmer head.

It's a little counter-intuitive, but only a little, and I with the individuals, I can certainly see some logic

Fair enough. Have either roko or the other sub played 15, out of interest?

Not to my knowledge, really wouldn't suit Roll, that's for sure

Pretty average kicking from Bath half backs

Oops Zach.

Banquo wrote:Oops Zach.

That was my first thought.
I'm second viewing, he'd attracted 3 Ulster defenders to himself, and both he and Roko thought that Roko was free, Stockdale was out of the eyeline for both of them - needed someone shouting from further back, but not sure who would have been in position to do so.
I'm sure if Zach had known he'd have taken contact and either steamrolled Cooney, or at least tried to set an offside line and recycle.
Needed the reverse angle to spot that though.

Which Tyler wrote:

Banquo wrote:Oops Zach.

That was my first thought.
I'm second viewing, he'd attracted 3 Ulster defenders to himself, and both he and Roko thought that Roko was free, Stockdale was out of the eyeline for both of them - needed someone shouting from further back, but not sure who would have been in position to do so.
I'm sure if Zach had known he'd have taken contact and either steamrolled Cooney, or at least tried to set an offside line and recycle.
Needed the reverse angle to spot that though.

Whatever the reasons, he made the wrong decision, harsh as it is.