Bath - any news?

Seems to have gone a bit quiet on the signings front down at the Rec. Now that the coaching team is in place, I guess that they will be drawing up a list of targets as we speak.

So far

Out
Moody - retired
Beattie - retired
Bell - retired
Hobson - retired
Carraro - Montpelier
Flatman - rumoured to potentially retire, maybe part time
Beech - might now disappear with Geech gone

In
James - Ospreys
Webber - Wasps
Day - Scarlets


Seeming very short in the back row and centres to me

Blofield says 3/4 signings maximum this year

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/maximum-signings-Bath-Rugby-season-says-Blofeld/story-13810098-detail/story.html

The problem with the bath squad is that we have enough players in most positions but alot of them are average say the centre.

Ben williams - potential but young
Olly barkley - lacking serious form
Dan hipkiss - always injured lacking form
Sam vesty - average
matt banahan - lacking form

we only have one out and out wing - Tom Biggs, the rest are all centres or fullbacks which can play wing. (cuthbert, bendy, banahan)

I cant see us signing any more pack players but we need one more class centre and an out and out wing...since mighty joe maddock left we have missed a try machine out wide and unless your a specialist winger you just aren't as good.

Our pack has grunt now and i expect to see catt and KPN push on this year, part of our problem is that our signings (donald, hipkiss, fearns, eastmond) have been injured most of the time so i will be expecting to see them like new signings.

At the moment the bath team should look like this

James
Webber
Wilson
Attwood
Caldwell
Louw
Fearns
Mercer
Claasens
Donald
Banahan
Barkley
Hipkiss
Biggs
Bendy

Woodburn is good enough to play regularly for us and I think the Banahan centre experiment might be over. Add in that Eastmond might well feature on the wing and I'm not too concerned out wide.

Definitely need some options in the centre though, you're spot on with your evaluations of the players, although a little harsh on Vesty.

Still 1 signing light in the back row for me, otherwise Louw is going to have to get through a silly amount of work.

I think Banahan needs to go back to the wing for you. I personally believe his confidence has been wrecked by being shifted to the centres.

Not sure who you could sign.

Your attractiveness is less by not being in the HC next season.

Yep, agreed on the Banahan point. It's been a tough year for him, think his head has been elsewhere as well with kids and marriage as well (and rightfully so)

He is at his best on the wing, coming inside at pace looking for work, otherwise it is too predictable and easy to defend.

Yep, shame about the HC, but we weren't good enough to be in it. Let's hope that money talks!

Think we could well see some more SAs coming over, with Frikkie Welsh as our mole tapping people up, with Watson and now Louw talking us up and finally with Gold in charge. Seems pretty likely and have the advantage of not counting of overseas, which is important when Donald is in the 22.

Maybe you'll be able to start giving us stick about our Saffas in 6 months time? haha!

Bathite who do you think you should snap up?

Shame the likes of J P Pietersen and Habana aren't available.

What's the status of Jacques Fourie?

You must have a bit of room in the salary cap with Moody retired.

What's the status of Jacques Fourie?

On silly money in Japan.

Bath should be looking closer to home, there is plenty of good talent around, they just need to identify it and get those players on board. Bristol is only down the road and will need to trim some of their team down following a failed attempt to get back in the AP and reduced parachute payments.

Targeting a young centre in the AP to be understudy to Hipkiss may be a good idea with Charlie Mathews at Quins and Will Addison at Sale being the obvious targets.

Newcastle going down could open up the possibility of a half decent flanker, Will Welch for instance would be a good purchase. Ben Woods is rumoured to be available from Tigers and in negociations with Newcastle so Bath could get in there and secure themselves a reliably good 7.

Bathite wrote:
Yep, shame about the HC, but we weren't good enough to be in it. Let's hope that money talks!

Don't worry Bathite, come and join the cool kids in the Amlin, that's where the action's at!

If you're looking at 7s, you really need to be considering someone like Jacob Rowan at Leeds. He is pretty much the best 7 I've seen at U20 level for many a year. He's been quietly getting on with his work at Leeds and I firmly believe he'll be a better player than Welch. In fact, why am I telling Bath about him, c'mon Glaws sign him up!!

On the centre front, you could always re-sign Tindall

Actually Tindall wouldn't be a bad punt for Bath. Fits right into their category.

In all seriousness do as Sam says.

I hear York is leaving Quins and, although, a 6/8 isn't at the top of Bath's wish list he would be a good signing and has potential to improve.

Actually Tindall wouldn't be a bad punt for Bath. Fits right into their category.

How long has Jamie Noon got on his contract in France? Bring back the Andy Robinson dream centre partnership at Bath!

Just seen that York chat on the other post, would be an interesting option I think, would be pretty happy with that.

Bathite wrote:Just seen that York chat on the other post, would be an interesting option I think, would be pretty happy with that.

With Fearns, Taylor and Skirving do you need another 6/8? Surely a 7 has to be the priority?

Surely one of Taylor or Skirving will be moved on sooner or later as neither are more than average squad players. Fearns, Louw, York has a better look to it then Skirving, Louw, Taylor.

Didn't you guys sign Johnston the no8 from the Cheetas?

yappysnap wrote:Didn't you guys sign Johnston the no8 from the Cheetas?

I think Johnson joined Wasps not Bath.

Yep, Ashley Johnson has joined Wasps, along with Haskell in the back row

Ah fair enough, well they have a pretty decent backrow then.