West Country Derby - Bath vs. Gloucester - Tuesday 22nd, 5.30

[Scrumhead]

Strange having this one fixture out on it’s own, with the other 5 games being played next week.

Bath:

1. B. Obano
2. T. Dunn
3. W. Stuart
4. E. Stooke
5. C. Ewels
6. T. Ellis
7. S. Underhill
8. T. Faletau
9. B. Spencer
10. R. Priestland
11. R. McConnochie
12. J. Matavesi
13. J. Joseph
14. S. Rokoduguni
15. A. Watson

16. J. Walker 17. L. Boyce 18. C. Judge 19. J. McNally 20. M. Reid 21. W. Chudley 22. C. Redpath 23. J. Cokanasiga

Gloucester:

1. V. Rapava-Ruskin
2. J. Singleton
3. F. Balmain
4. M. Garvey
5. M. Alemanno
6. J. Polledri
7. L. Ludlow
8. R. Ackermann
9. W. Heinz
10. L. Evans
11. J. May
12. B. Twelvetrees
13. C. Harris
14. O. Thorley
15. M. Banahan

16. H. Walker 17. C. Fourie 18. J. Stanley 19. E. Slater 20. J. Reid 21. J. Simpson 22. T. Seabrook 23. L. Rees-Zammit

A couple of interesting bits - the return of Cokanasiga on the bench for Bath and the removal of Cipriani from the Gloucester 23.

Hard to know if the latter is due to Cipriani’s poor performance vs. Quins or simply resting ... quite a strong Gloucester team otherwise so seems more like he’s been dropped.

[fivepointer]

5.30pm kick off on a Tuesday. Dont understand that at all.

Bath should be too strong. Good to see Joe back in the mix. Spencer up against another prospective England squad player.

Cips was poor against Quins and hasnt exactly set the place on fire since restart.

[Puja]

Strange having this one fixture out on it’s own, with the other 5 games being played next week.

I would assume it was due to being between two European weekends when neither team is playing, but the same is true for Quins vs Wasps and they're not playing till Monday. Seems like a bit of an unfair advantage for Bath and Gloucester to be the only two teams not playing a midweek game next week, but hey ho.

I'd imagine Cipriani's either carrying a niggle or they're just giving him a break - he has played quite a bit of rugby and Gloucester haven't got much to play for in the remainder of this season.

Puja


ETA. Ah, it's the Mickey Mouse Cup final this week between Quins and Sale, so that's why the Quins vs Wasps game can't be this week.

[Scrumhead]

Puja is completely correct on the reasons, I just don’t really get why it’s tomorrow? Why not have it on Friday or on the weekend for example. 5.30 on a Tuesday is a very strange choice.

[Which Tyler]

They were all scheduled for this weekend; and then 5 matches got postponed due to other commitments. Opting for Tuesday is still odd though, however you cut it.

Good to see Big Joe back; and I can't help noticing Banahan at FB - suspect that Ben & Rhys might possibly test his positioning and try to get the ball onto the grass behind him.


Ref: Craig Maxwell-Keys
TJs: Adam Leal & Karl Dickson
TMO: Christophe Ridley

[Puja]

Banahan did turn in some pretty creditable performances for Bath at full-back, if I recall correctly. I wouldn't expect him to be a weakness there.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Banahan did turn in some pretty creditable performances for Bath at full-back, if I recall correctly. I wouldn't expect him to be a weakness there.

My recollection is that he wasn't a complete liability - which was better than expected - but also that he was never really tested when he played back there (to everyone's surprise). He's also older, slower and less agile now.
I'm not expecting him to be a liability tomorrow - but if you're Bath, and looking to find a weakness in the opposition than you an exert your own strength towards - you'd have to lick your lips at that prospect.
He'll be absolutely fine running the ball back; and his kicking has always been... uncultured, but strangely effective; and he's a good reader of the game - but he's not a natural full back; his positioning is likely to be questionable (which he may well answer in the positive); and if we can turn him - or challenge him in the air, then we should be able to take advantage.

[Scrumhead]

Probably more to do with the fact that playing Rees-Zammit there has been less than successful so far.

Quins did a good job of exposing him last round. He had a lot of bombs rained on him and Morris and Brown leading an aggressive chase that lead to a number of errors and points being conceded.

Given that Watson and McConnochie are more than decent in the air, I suspect Skivington is simply thinking that Banahan is better equipped to deal with it. That’s not to say we won’t see LRZ at 15 again. Just maybe not against certain opponents.

[Oakboy]

Coka back is great to hear.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep, was worried if we'd ever see him again to be honest.

Seems odd for Polledri and Ackerman to switch back around. I thought he was being developed as an 8 now.

Banahan at 15 is always entertaining. Not to say he's bad, it just looks ridiculous.

[Which Tyler]

[Mikey Brown]

Layering two bits of music that aren't in time with each other is a very interesting choice.

They could do with a few more visual effects too.

[Which Tyler]

I must admit - my personal preference is a bit more old-school

[Mr Mwenda]

Crackin' photie that.

[Scrumhead]

I haven’t seen much of Lloyd Evans before but I quite like the look of him in the last couple of games. On current form, he could give Cipriani a run for his money ...

[francoisfou]

Bath are lacking direction so far and are buckling under the Glaws pressure. Lloyd Evans looks an assured player and could be first choice if Ciprani doesn’t get his act together.

[Scrumhead]

Yeah - that’s what I’m getting at. Cipriani has been poor and has looked disinterested since the restart.

Evans has been the opposite. He’s looked confident and inventive and if I were picking the team right now, he’d be making the side.

[Which Tyler]

I'm not enjoying this much

[Scrumhead]

I can imagine. Gloucester full value for their lead.

As I wrote that, Dunn scored .. Late for a revival but definitely not too late.

[Scrumhead]

I'm not enjoying this much

Great comeback!

[twitchy]

Only caught the last 15 mins or so, good stuff from bath.

[Which Tyler]

I'm a bit happier now.

On the downside, my dog is seeing off imaginary home invaders, and I'm going to have to wash the sofa's throw

[fivepointer]

Well that was quite a turnaround. Glos just ran out of steam and Bath managed to pull themselves together. Dunn very properly given MotM. He was at the heart of the Bath effort. His all round game was excellent, but then it usually is.

[Scrumhead]

Yep. Dunn is unlucky that we’re in an era with a number of good hookers. Should really have been in the England squad ahead of Singleton IMO.

[Peej]

I think there's a few EPS squad members who will be decidedly nervous about their spots. Singleton is one, Ludlam another