BATH RUGBY - 2013/14

First topic message reminder :

New Thread for the new season - https://www.606v2.com/t54781-bath-rugby-pre-season-2014-15

Apparently we asked about Genia, but the ARU said no chance because of the 2015 RWC.

There's absolutely no basis for this rumour whatsoever, but I wondered if Piri Weepu fancied a little pension top up? No longer in the AB squad, with Smith, Kerr-Barlow and Perenera ahead of him. A physcial, niggly bloke, with a good kick, has covered 10 and goal kicked before as well. Hugely experienced, but has had issues with booze and weight in the past. 

One of my favourite cult players, I'd love to have him at the rec!

Feel free to come and take Warren Fury off our hands if you need a SH...  

I'm afraid he has been on trial for Bath before Geordie, played a few A games. Once bitten and all that...

Weepu at the Rec, I'd be happy with that but I can't see it happening.

Personally I wouldn't want Weepu, he is reknown for being lazy at club level and awesome at international level constantly coming into preseason over weight being known as fatty weepu and being held back from the first month of games until he loses the paunch. I doubt he'd be mr motivated at Bath at weve gone down that route previously. I have a feeling we are going to be in the flyhalf market first and foremost with Heathcote likely going, Henson probably off to Dragons and Ford away during the AI's and six nations that leaves us with.......Devoto? Eastmond?

The whole Heathcote story has been disappointing as he has great potential and fully expect him to head north. I would also like to see Cook at SH get a decent chance as he has all the attributes. Roberts and Youngs are competent but have not got the potential and Williams and Woodburn appear to be under used too.
Fully expect Devoto to step into FH role. Any bets on Barkley returning after his French adventure?!

I've heard Laidlaw might be looking to leave Edinburgh this summer.

Heathcote could go the other way and Bath could have a very good player who can cover both 9 and 10.

Seems a good fit for all.

Laidlaw would be grrrrrreat. Henry thomas leaving Sale confirmed....i hope weve landed him !

We must be waiting to hear from a players agent!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25729379

Pretty thumping win last night over Bordeaux, which means we should be top Amlin seed and so should play the winner of Sale/Biarritz in the quarters I think? Can't complain about that, I don't fancy one of the drop down teams.

Ford didn't do his 6N chances any harm either...

Great win for the BB&W

Mr Ford is improving with every game.

Did anyone see Banahans conversion?

Yeah he dropkicked it over for the last try on the final whistle.

Scrumpy wrote:I've heard Laidlaw might be looking to leave Edinburgh this summer.

Heathcote could go the other way and Bath could have a very good player who can cover both 9 and 10.

Seems a good fit for all.

Am also hearing a lot of noise about a Bath move for Laidlaw.

Would be a good fit. You get a midfield general with an incredibly high goalkicking percentage (was higher than Halfpenny's in the last 6N but we have to be very quiet about that) and a creative mind who could take a lot of the pressure off Ford.

http://www.bathrugby.com/news/team-news/bath-rugby-bolster-front-row-with-two-young-guns


Thomas and Auterac are coming to Bath. Both young and English, pretty good signings for what will be 2nd/3rd choice players. If Thomas' scrimmaging can improve to the extent that Perenise's has, he will be some player.

Beshocked - this Auterac signing has come out of nowhere! Had you heard anything? Know much about the player?

Of course having both Thomas and Wilson at TH does mean they could both be in EPS training camps at the same time, so KPN might end up getting a good amount of game time.

Thomas is quite a coup. I would imagine that Sale are spitting over that although obviously he comes from the area so a bit understandable.

Both players nurtured through an academy then blooded and poached!

Look like good signings. Does anyone else think that props are getting younger? There has always been a rule that props take a while to mature but if you look at clubs and international teams they seem to be willing to blood younger guys now. Once you go past Cole and Wilson (who aren't old) the England props are all early 20s.

twoeightnine wrote:... 

Look like good signings.  Does anyone else think that props are getting younger?  There has always been a rule that props take a while to mature but if you look at clubs and international teams they seem to be willing to blood younger guys now.  Once you go past Cole and Wilson (who aren't old) the England props are all early 20s.

I think we just missed a generation (and not just at Prop). If you look at the other 6N teams there is the odd young'un (Lee for Wales comes to mind) but mostly they fit the older stereotype.

I'd still take an old experianced prop over a young gun anyday.

So Eastmond has signed a new deal but bendy has gone to top14 Clermont.

Thoughts?

Good and bad news there...

Bendy has been bought out of his contract, which may be a sign of things to come I guess. A Big loss for the club though, Watson is great and going to be a top quality player but he will be away with England a lot. Bendy is a great attacking threat (certainly at Prem level) and is available for the whole season, so its shame we can't keep both. Best of luck to him though, he has been the only attacking ray of light at times for Bath over the years.

With Watson winging it for England its a shame we couldn't fit bendy and Watson into the same xv as bendy has been outstanding at 15 for years. I fear we will struggle to match this years squad depth again with top class players who have struggled for game time( heathcote, Caldwell, bendy etc) likely moving off for regular starting spots. Hopefully our starting team will be stronger next year and the loss of a bit of depth will mean the academy will get more of a chance to develop.

Chris, if you think about it, how blooming brilliant is it that we are now in a position of squad depth, so that the likes of Caldwell, Bendy and Heathcote are having to fight for their place. It is sad that we might lose them, but a good sign of the strength in depth, which we just haven't had in previous years. If you think about Tigers, they often lose really good club players that can't get a game. I think it is a step in the right direction, but let's hope the academy step it up. Catt, Heathcote and Devoto are the only real success stories of late, but Will Spencer, and KPN can now really put their hands up for starting spots

No it is great having strength in depth for once and being lucky with injuries as well ! its true we are moving more towards the Leicester way of things where half the team will be away on international duty alot of the time and it will be hard to keep hold of the quality squad players. Would be even better if our academy regularly churned out international quality stars like Leicester do (Cole, Youngs, Croft, Youngs, Twelvetrees, Tuilagi,) I think lee mears and Olly barkley were the last decent internationals we produced and something we have to fix for sustainable success. None of our academy boys are first team starters yet, we prefer to buy em in rather than let our youngs uns take that final step into a starting shirt, they only seem to get bench or LV cup time then we give up on em !

Bath are looking to sign Sam Burgess South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Don't know much about him is he any good or will he be another Chev?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/26064628

Given the unsuccessful track record of RL players in any position other than wing I am not filled with great expectation. What would that mean for Ben Williams and Henson ?

Bath should be concentrating on scrum half and fullback positions

Agreed.

Lets develop what we already have and sign a quality SH, dare I say it would re-signing Claassens be a option?

I would like to see Cook get an opportunity. He has all the physical attributes and mindset, he just needs gametime. However the presence of young Ford outside has affected thinking in that an experienced hand is needed at SH.
Is Classens unhappy at Toulon ? I would swap Roberts and Young together on the deal !

All the talk of Burgess is at 12?

Isnt that what Eastmond was signed for? And what about your young lad Devoto?

Why spend a fortune on a guy who might not do anything in Union and you can spend the money elsewhere in positions you actually need...

GeordieFalcon wrote:All the talk of Burgess is at 12?

Isnt that what Eastmond was signed for? And what about your young lad Devoto?

Why spend a fortune on a guy who might not do anything in Union and you can spend the money elsewhere in positions you actually need...

I agree, but I think the RFU might foot the bill.

I believe SL see Eastmonds as a back three player (yet another fullback no doubt!) and with Bendy moving on there is a need to have someone else cover that position, so there might be a case to sign Burgess?

Scrumpy, Id rather see Eastmond at 9. I think he could be top class there!

I've heard that one put forward many a time on the terraces at the Rec, some feel it will take too long to get him up to speed as it is a skilled position.

My view is that the guy has the skills to do most things well and he wouldn't be any worse than Mike Phillips at No9 given a view games.

Lets not forget he gets frustrated without the ball so playing at 9 will mean he has a big say in how a game is played, suite him down to the ground.

Ive said it since i first saw him play.

He has the low centre of gravity, the running jinking ability, great handling skills.

Yes its a skilled position he'll need to kick, learn the game tactics...but i genuinely think he would be a cracker there.

The scrum half touches the ball more than anyone else....so why not have a skilled player like him do it!

Give Mike Ford a ring Geordie.

Don't forget we have Stringer at the club, what a guy to learn the SH trade from!

I think that's a good shout Geordiefalcon.

I also Would prefer to see Eastmond at 9 than 12. I just don't think he's physically big enough for a centre. Don't think he suits the back three either.

According to his wiki page he's only 5,7 and less than 13st.

Means that Bath could switch Eastmond to 9 and get Burgess in at 12. Bit of a gamble though.

I just don't get this clamour for Eastmond at 9. He's played really well at 12 so far, both for Bath and England in his very limited chances for both. I don't care how big or small he is, if he's good enough, he's big enough. Not seen anything to doubt his defence so far (yes, lets all rate players' physicality by their wikipedia page....  ), so why waste all that time developing him at 12, to start all over again with the nuances of SH play. Got to be the most difficult position to play for a league boy. Just a silly suggestion that demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge of both codes and the player himself

Bathite wrote:I just don't get this clamour for Eastmond at 9. He's played really well at 12 so far, both for Bath and England in his very limited chances for both. I don't care how big or small he is, if he's good enough, he's big enough. Not seen anything to doubt his defence so far (yes, lets all rate players' physicality by their wikipedia page....  ), so why waste all that time developing him at 12, to start all over again with the nuances of SH play. Got to be the most difficult position to play for a league boy. Just a silly suggestion that demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge of both codes and the player himself

Agree, we are desperately short of creative centres and I'm not convinced his pass is SH level. I understand the thinking with his size and skills but for England's sake I'd like him to stick at 12.

Eastmond is the most creative 12 in the premiership, he has the ability to create space more than anyone, and back line players always rave about playing along side him. His defense is fine but not destructive like barrits, his ability to smash holes is nowhere near burrells and twelvetress has the most all round skills with a great Kicking game alongside solid d, distribution and crash ball. With the pitches firming up towards the end of the season eastmond like in Argentina will be almost unplayable. Yes he's small but think outside the box, so is George ford, Shane williams , thomas domingo, tom youngs, Neil back etc its not the size of the boat but the motion of the ocean!!

Burgess is a done deal apparently?

3 year contract.

sirtidychris wrote:Eastmond is the most creative 12 in the premiership, he has the ability to create space more than anyone, and back line players always rave about playing along side him. His defense is fine but not destructive like barrits, his ability to smash holes is nowhere near burrells and twelvetress has the most all round skills with a great Kicking game alongside solid d, distribution and crash ball. With the pitches firming up towards the end of the season eastmond like in Argentina will be almost unplayable. Yes he's small but think outside the box, so is George ford, Shane williams , thomas domingo, tom youngs, Neil back etc  its not the size of the boat but the motion of the ocean!!

Agree, would really like to see him developed as an alternative at 12

Yeah and Hape had "the best hands in the Premiership".

Hahaha!

Exeter v Bath

Bath
15. Anthony Watson
14. Horacio Agulla
13. Ollie Devoto
12. Kyle Eastmond
11. Matt Banahan
10. George Ford
9. Micky Young
1. Paul James
2. Ross Batty
3. David Wilson
4. Stuart Hooper ( c )
5. Dave Attwood
6. Matt Garvey
7. Francois Louw
8. Leroy Houston

Replacements

16. Eusebio Guinazu
17. Nathan Catt
18. Anthony Perenise
19. Dominic Day
20. Alafoti Fa'osiliva
21. Peter Stringer
22. Gavin Henson
23. Nick Abendanon

I'm sorry but batty is rubbish!

What a great win for Bath, why oh why isn't Ford in the England match day squad?

Watson and eastmonds should be too IMO pure class good in defence and great in attack the pair of them.

Come on bomber make the call!

Hard for all 3 to get in, 2 of them I'd agree though, unless you'd GE happy to start Eastmond-Burrell, how good is Eastmond's kicking from hand?

The most important thing is giving ford time, burns has faded so much, flood is now ineligible therefore when Farrell gets injured we are royally buggered. Scotland was the perfect chance to give George 15 mins I really can't understand what the f*** Lancaster is waiting for? The other lads missing out I can understand with manu and marland coming back soon but George is the only viable replacement ?

I honestly cannot believe how much Devoto seems to have kicked on. When I first saw him I thought he was terrible, slow, ponderous, average passing and skills...he seems unrecognisable now. Or maybe I saw him on a few off days?!

Still think his passing could be improved but his running game is at least as good as Twelvetrees' and he's a pretty big, physical lad as well. Would like to see Eastmond developed as a very different option to 36 at 12, but it'd be a shame if that means Devoto stagnates or fixes on 13, where we have a bit more choice I think.

Devoto has come on a lot alright, he should be a mainstay for Bath for a while in the 12/10 role. Hopefully if Ford gets an England call up he will have to spend some time at 10 as well, I don't see him as a long term 13.

Ford has been in such good form, surely he must be worth a bench spot to introduce him to the international stage...

Great game with Exe, some things to work on but glad to see that record being extended!

Do you think Ford would manage against Ireland or Wales?

He really should have been on the bench for Scotland but we've missed that chance now so perhaps Italy.