Baths Andy Beattie retires from rugby

Bath Rugby back row Andy Beattie is to retire from rugby with immediate effect due to an ankle injury sustained in January the Club can today announce.

This decision has been made following advice from two medical specialists and comes after 11 years and 238 appearances for Bath.

A fiercely committed and competitive player, Andy has become a key member of the Bath squad in his time at the Club. His physical, abrasive attitude has often set the tone for some outstanding Bath performances.

Andy started his professional career at Exeter Chiefs, playing for the Devon side whilst studying at ExeterUniversity. He made the switch to Bath in 2001, and has remained with the Club ever since. He also represented England A in 2005.

On the plus side it frees up more salary cap.

What a shame this is, had a real impact in those few games he played around Christmas time. Beastie is a great player, his attitude is great, but luckily he won't be missed too much as hasn't been near the first team, with Ovens and Mercer coming through. I do think we might need to consider another back rower now though, with Taylor near the end of his career as well and Moody also retiring

We should have moved heaven and earth to get Ben Morgan, Glaws fan or not money + other benefits talk.

A Backrower, a world class Centre, 2 big and nasty Props would be on my list

I read that Maxime Mermoz was joining you, as his agent does not like the money Saints have offered.

A shame he coudlnt retire on his own terms, he has been a great servant to the club, always gave 100% and was exactly the sort of non-superstar glue that holds a club together. I remember there was a picture of him up outside the Exeter university gym as an aside.

I suppose with both him and Moody retired now there might have to be some recruitment in the back row, our cover looks light. Morgan would have been great but I'm hoping for big things from Carl Fearns once he is fully fit again.

LT, I read that too, but it sounded as if no offer had been made, so it could just be agent talk?

Mermoz got to be agent talk, surely loads of other french clubs would want him and that wouldn't damage his international ambitions and certainly not his pay packet!

Still haven't forgiven him for when he broke me when we were playing at Exeter Uni together.....but a wonderful servant to Bath, a real club man.

Great shame, a player who gave his all, everytime he went on the pitch. He had a real purple patch a few years ago and unfortunately broke his leg and was never quite the same.
Some recruitment is needed now with Moody gone and Taylor is on his last legs too. I wonder if Scaysbrook would come back, which with Louw at 6 and Fearns at 8 would be a perfect combo with Skirving as back up for 6/8 and Louw to 7 when needed. Ovens and Mercer will clearly get more game time next season.

I'd like to think we are aiming higher than scaysbrook! Not too fussed about a 7 type either as Louw plays like one and Mercer certainly does as well. Think we need a huge ball carrying option, either at 6 or 8. Morgan would have been ideal.

This season we have had very slow ball at rucks with opposition 7's all over us and without a specialist ourselves. I agree Scaysbrook is not high profile but he has been very effective for Exeter this year. We need the salary cap for a destructive LH prop and a ball carrier in the centre which I think are higher priorities. It will be interesting to see which way Geech goes.

bathmad, you were at Exe too?

I dont know if Scaysbrook would come back to be honest, he has gone from bitpart player to playing regularly for the chiefs. Louw can play anywhere across the backrow it seems but we could do with Mercer stepping up at 7, he seems to have gone off the boil a bit at a time when we really need him to kick on. In theory Mercer, louw and Fearns has a nice balance to it.
I agree that a brute of a LH should be the priority though.

Thanks Andy, a great team player and a stalwart for Bath Rugby.

Loose forwards going down like flies, that's not good news, Bath need to strengthen in even more areas now, I just don't see the quality out there at the moment - unless there's an exodus from Wales come the end of May...

Maybe we could get a couple of high profile loans/ringers in before the end of the season?

Who knows we might make the HC yet?

The next two games are mission critical HERSH, 4 points from those and it's a possibility...

Can't see it though this season has seen too many winnable games get away from them, I don't think they'll start winning games that they shouldn't on paper.

Sad times, maybe Geech needs to move on.

"Sad times, maybe Geech needs to move on."

He has to, he has lost the plot big time.

I'm a little disappointed we didn't go for Richards.

I think Geech is too loved-up with BC to be moving on just yet, but if he did leave Stuart Lancaster may be looking for a job...

Geech needs to be moved to a more overseeing role I think, he is not a day to day coach. Throw some money at Kirwin maybe?

Hmmm, I guess Geech could stay in that kind of role, but we do need someone, as you say, who can flourish in the day-to-day coaching role.

I'm not sure that's Kirwan though, he's only ever coached at International level which is very stop-start.

He did quite well with both Italy and Japan though, so maybe it would be worth seeing what he could do.

One thing is for certain, the coaching setup has to change for next season.

Agreed PJ, something is not right at the moment. Dare I say it, I'd like to see a bit more team spirit/ some sense of the team having trained together at some point! Brad is clearly being spread too thinly, there needs to be some investment there too as well as at the top.

HERSH wrote:We should have moved heaven and earth to get Ben Morgan, Glaws fan or not money + other benefits talk.

Apparently you did, but Morgan is a sensible chap and realised there is more to rugby than getting manicures in nice country estates...

On a serious note, awful to see another player have to retire. I always had a lot of respect for Beattie, you knew he would always be a real pain in the neck on the pitch - the sign of a decent backrower. Good luck to him for the future I whatever he goes on to do.

B loody hell, you're here too!

Don't think we did go in for Morgan from what i've heard, although it would have been brilliant to get him. I'm more than happy with Fearns as our 6/8 and is available all year round, but we do need another flanker alongside the beast that is Frans Louw

Stop stalking me Bathite! I told you I'd let you become a Glaws supporter in good time

From what I understand, I don't think you ever got to the negotiating stage as the deal was pretty much done by the time you made the approach. Either way, I agree with you that Fearns should be your long term focus - he has huge potential. As HERSH mentions, I think you guys need some decent props, the problem is there just isn't many around at the moment.

Me stalking you? You're commenting on Bath pages!

Re props, Jenkins was really keen and we pulled the plug, as was Jones, as he didn't want to go to France, as his missus wouldn't let him! But we pulled out quite late in the day, as wasn't deemed value for money. Catt and Palmer-Newport are both great young props and can scrummage, but I do think we needed a nasty experienced LH or TH in the short term.

Really like the look of the loosehead playing S15 for the chiefs, looks like Tonghaui part 2!

I hadn't realised you'd pullled out of the Jenkins deal, I'm quite surprised by that. I presume had you signed him he'd have been your marquee player, so value for money shouldn't really play too much of a factor, as ultimately unless its Carter or McCaw, the marquee signing is unlikely to yield immediate value.

What's the news on Eastmond btw?

HongKongCherry wrote:I hadn't realised you'd pullled out of the Jenkins deal, I'm quite surprised by that. I presume had you signed him he'd have been your marquee player, so value for money shouldn't really play too much of a factor, as ultimately unless its Carter or McCaw, the marquee signing is unlikely to yield immediate value.

What's the news on Eastmond btw?

I agree mate, it was really disappointing. They said that considering Catt and Beech were coming through, it didn't make financial sense. Also, it is a scrummager we need and Jenkins isn't that, especially without an epic TH alongside him, so we wouldn't get the best out of him. Having said all that, I'm still gutted.

Eastmond a few weeks away I think, keeps getting little niggly injuries. Next years LV Cup hopefully should be his testing ground.

For your sake, I hope Eastmond doesn't turn into another Karl Pryce. He got injured early on in his stint with Glaws and became a huge waste!

Yep me too! I Eastmond is much younger though, it is just he was injured during the Super League season and not fully fit and then went straight into our pre season. Give him a full pre season and a summer off and I think he'll be ok. They aren't big