Challenge Cup - Knock Out Rounds

[Which Tyler]

Friday Night
8.00pm BST
Ref: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
TJs: Rob McDowell (Sco) and Finlay Brown (Sco)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)

Pau:
1 Ignacio David Calles
2 Youri Delhommel
3 Harry Williams
4 Thomas Jolmes
5 Lekima Tagitagivalu
6 Joel Kpoku
7 Thibaut Hamonou
8 Carwyn Tuipulotu

13 Olivier Klemenczak
09 Thomas Souverbie
10 Axel Desperes
11 Aaron Grandidier Nkanang
12 Fabien Brau-Boirie
14 Eliott Roudil
15 Aymeric Luc

16 Romain Ruffenach, 17 Hugo Parrou, 18 Siate Tokolahi, 19 Remi Picquette, 20 Jimi Maximin, 21 Reece Hewat
22 Dan Robson, 23 Tumua Manu

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Archie Griffin
4 Quinn Roux
5 Ross Molony
6 Josh Bayliss
7 Sam Underhill
8 Miles Reid

09 Ben Spencer (c)
10 Ciaran Donoghue
11 Will Muir
12 Will Butt
13 Max Ojomoh
14 Joe Cokanasiga
15 Ruaridh McConnochie

16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Kieran Verden, 19 Ewan Richards, 20, Ted Hill, 23 Jaco Coetzee
21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Orlando Bailey


Stuart rested AND no TdT/Sela
Tuipuluto, Verden, Richards rewarded for the PRC win
Ewels injured
Barbeary, Redpath, DeGlanville (presumably) rested
Young FB Ciaran Donoghue starts at FH, whilst Bailey sits the bench (first game back from injury)
McConnochie at FB

[Which Tyler]

Pau 24 - 49 Bath

Red card for Sam Underhill, MotM for Ciaran Donoghue, who's looking to the manor born since moving to FH.

Maybe Bailey really is surplus to requirements now?

Can't really argue with the Underhill red under current guidance.
It was high, head on head as first contact with force, and he could easily have got lower. Yes there was a step, which changed his reaction time, but it didn't noticeably change the head heights.
IMO, it's the sort of step you have to anticipate, and which Sam is usually so good at doing.

[fivepointer]

Havent seen any of the action but thats a very decent win for Bath in a tricky game.

[FKAS]

Pau 24 - 49 Bath

Red card for Sam Underhill, MotM for Ciaran Donoghue, who's looking to the manor born since moving to FH.

Maybe Bailey really is surplus to requirements now?

If you can send young Orlando up to Tigers then that would be appreciated. I know Fissler has linked us but he's linked us with about a dozen different flyhalfs so far.

Good result for Bath, a potentially tricky opponent dealt with. Underhill likely to now pick up a ban which is less than ideal but Bath do have some depth there.

[Which Tyler]

Yeah, Landi to Tigers is the rumour - and it wasn't making all that much sense, looking at this year's squad.
But... as-is he'll be 3rd choice FH and 4th choice FB next year; and harsh though it is, may have been overtaken by Donoghue for that position.

He's a very good player, and I'd hate to see him go, but he's too good to be 3rd choice (just, not better than Russell or Carreras), and already being challenged by the (slightly) younger (possibly) hotter model - with an even younger, even hotter model a few years back in the pipeline.

I guess it will depend whether JvG sees this as a surprising run of forced-form above and beyond Donoghue's expected ability, or a player slotting into a different shirt, and simply blossoming. There's also the question of whether CD will want to return to Ireland.
Bailey's 20 months older, made his (proper) debut 4 years ago and has racked up 100 appearances for Bath, Donoghue's just made his proper debut, in his 15th match.



Worth noting - Bailey does still have a year left on his contract (unless they're counting the "+1 option" in the announcement) so would need a buy-out or release.

[Puja]

Yeah, Landi to Tigers is the rumour - and it wasn't making all that much sense, looking at this year's squad.
But... as-is he'll be 3rd choice FH and 4th choice FB next year; and harsh though it is, may have been overtaken by Donoghue for that position.

He's a very good player, and I'd hate to see him go, but he's too good to be 3rd choice (just, not better than Russell or Carreras), and already being challenged by the (slightly) younger (possibly) hotter model - with an even younger, even hotter model a few years back in the pipeline.

I guess it will depend whether JvG sees this as a surprising run of forced-form above and beyond Donoghue's expected ability, or a player slotting into a different shirt, and simply blossoming. There's also the question of whether CD will want to return to Ireland.
Bailey's 20 months older, made his (proper) debut 4 years ago and has racked up 100 appearances for Bath, Donoghue's just made his proper debut, in his 15th match.



Worth noting - Bailey does still have a year left on his contract (unless they're counting the "+1 option" in the announcement) so would need a buy-out or release.

Considering we were rumoured to be offering Crowley £600k a year, it suggests we're getting kinda desperate, so paying to release Bailey may be an option.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

I think it may depend on whether Finn is indicating that he wants to stay, and whether Leicester are willing to pay a release fee.

If Russell wants to return home to Scotland, or try Japan/USA for a bit, then we kinda need Bailey to stay as experienced back-up to Carreras.
If he wants to stay, and not move his kids again, then we can "afford" to let Bailey head off to pastures new, and concentrate on Donoghue, Harris, Linegar & Woods (aged 18-21, and all playing both FH and FB).
Either way, at some point fairly soon, we're going to have to make some big decisions in these positions.

Of course, if Leicester/Exeter can offer him a starting berth, then that would absolutely be the right thing for Landi himself.

[FKAS]

Finn Russell has another year at Bath doesn't he. If Carreras is on the reported small fortune then Bath might need to ditch a player or two to get under the cap. Nothing drastic but a player like Orlando Bailey in a position of strength going into next season would make sense.

Even if Russell were to head off Bath would have the funds to go and pay for marquee name. Should they not want Carreras to take the gig. As you say there's a pipeline at Bath for flyhalf/fullbacks.

Tigers have a couple of promising flyhalfs but the oldest Threlfall isn't 19 yet. If Bath want a token fee and Bailey a reasonable salary that may well be pretty achievable as otherwise it's increasingly looking like next season will be Volavola and Threlfall.

[Which Tyler]

Yeah, Russell and Bailey both have another year on their contracts.
Carreras - depends on which rumour rumour you believe. What I heard was about £450k - a 10-15% increase on Gloucester's maximum; others say closer to £650k - about double Gloucester's original offer... Who knows what reality is.

But yes, with Carreras and Arundell both coming in, Bath will need to let some go - and losing Bailey would help with that; though it wouldn't have been part of the planning (unless his contract had that +1 option thing).

If we lost our marquee player, then yes, we'd have the funds to go shopping for a marquee. We may not want to though; and even if we did, we may not want to spend it on FH. The arrival of Carreras means that Finn is no longer vitally important to us; and that the only position with a huge drop off between starter and backup becomes SH.

Out of interest, I think this is who remains out of contract this summer:

LHP: Cordwell, Summerfield, Kirk
HK: Annett, Faiva, Stewart, Spandler
THP: (Verden) - technically came back as an injury replacement for Griffin
LK: Dingley, Jeanes, Cuckson + DuPlessis (left mid-season)
BR: Cowan, Graham, AlKAreem

SH: Schreuder, LeRoux
FH: Weston
CE: Butt
WG: McConnochie, Graham + Grace (left mid-season)
FB: Emens

Then there's a host contracted through to next summer, and we just never know if they're +1 options that may not be taken.
Of that lot, I'd expect to keep 1 LHP and 1 hooker, maybe a lock. I'd like to keep Butt, but he's still 4th choice centre, with Hennessey having a "long term" contract a few months ago, and some highly talented academy kids...
The hookers are the only ones there on biggish contracts - both came to fight for first place and Faiva came straight from the world cup.

[FKAS]

Butt will want a pay rise now he's playing more and an England A international. Don't think Bath will have much choice but to give it to him given Lawrence's injury and Redpath being made of paper.

9 is a bit of a problem area. The silver lining to Russell potentially going summer 2026 is that you might be able to upgrade Spencer with a star option and pair him with Carerras.

[Which Tyler]

Butt will want a pay rise now he's playing more and an England A international. Don't think Bath will have much choice but to give it to him given Lawrence's injury and Redpath being made of paper.

He'll want, and deserve an upgrade - but may find himself out of a job instead.
Professional sport is tough

[Which Tyler]

Glaws desperate to grab defeat from the jaws of victory here

[Which Tyler]

but they fail, and will come visit us next week.
A QF as a warm up for the SF between the same two teams?

[Which Tyler]

Underhill guilty of the high tackle and red.
6 weeks halved for good behaviour, and accepting guilt (despite pleading not guilty - or "I did it, but it wasn't worth a red") -1 for tackle school.

Anyone fancy teaching Sam Underhill to tackle?

Beuller?

[Which Tyler]

Sunday tea-time

Bath

1. Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Archie Griffin, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Ethan Staddon, 8 Alfie Barbeary
9 Ben Spencer ©, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Will Muir, 12 Will Butt, 13 Cameron Redpath, 14 Tom de Glanville, 15 Ciaran Donoghue

16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Josh Bayliss, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Max Ojomoh, 23 Jaco Coetzee

Gloucester

1 Ciaran Knight, 2 Jack Singleton, 3 Kirill Gotovtsev, 4 Freddie Clarke, 5 Cam Jordan, 6 Deian Gwynne, 7 Harry Taylor, 8 Ruan Ackermann
9 Caolan Englefield, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 11 Jake Morris, 12 Will Butler, 13 Chris Harris (C), 14 Christian Wade, 15 Santi Carreras

16 Seb Blake, 17 Val Rapava Ruskin, 18 Afo Fasogbon, 19 Freddie Clarke, 20 Lewis Ludlow, 21 Jack Clement, 22 Tomos Williams, 23 Charlie Atkinson

[Which Tyler]

FAO @Puja - check out that 12 & 22 for Bath!

[Puja]

FAO @Puja - check out that 12 & 22 for Bath!

As I always suspected. I'll accept your apology at any time, Which.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Worried about this afternoon.
Think there might be a touch of complacency, an eye on avoiding injuries, and focusing on a different competition...
Against Glos, you only have to take your eye off the ball for 10 minutes and you'll have lost the match.

It just feels like a banana skin that can be seen a mile off, but get slips on anyway for comedic value.

[Danno]

Seems to be going OK so far!

[Which Tyler]

Both sides a bit error strewn, but Glos more so, so far.
Better than I feared, but certainly not confident.

Bath have been vulnerable out wide all season, it's just how we defend.

[Which Tyler]

Bit more confident now

[Which Tyler]

Doesn't look good for Coetzee.
Run out of bench forwards, so presumably Butt to flanker

[fivepointer]

A SF against Edinburgh for Bath. They look a good bet to win this competition.

[Puja]

Doesn't look good for Coetzee.
Run out of bench forwards, so presumably Butt to flanker

Bath consistently picking Butt at flanker ahead of Ojomoh?

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Bath consistently picking Butt at flanker ahead of Ojomoh?

More impressively - ahead of Cokanasiga too!
(this week.. for the first time... because Coka was sitting on a beach drinking mojitos)