|
English Premiership
Concentration is key for Bath
Scrum.com
November 21, 2008
Bath are looking to build on Butch James' last-gasp heroics last weekend
© Getty Images
Enlarge
Bath defence coach Brad Davis has called for his table-topping players to keep their concentration after last weekend's drama when they renew their Premiership title challenge tomorrow. An injury-time Butch James try clinched a stunning 25-21 victory over fellow high-fliers Leicester at the Rec last Saturday in one of the games of the season so far. Next up for Steve Meehan's side is a trip to a sold-out Franklin's Gardens to face struggling Northampton, and Davis believes Bath - who are unbeaten away from home in the league - must refocus immediately if they want to stay top of the pack. "I expect them to be mobile and athletic and they are likely to play a really up-tempo kind of game," he said of the threat posed by the Saints. "So we have got to play our game and control the ball. We need to at least do that to get an equal share of possession. "I think if we do that, we will come out on the right side of the score board. But we are under no illusion that it will be a big test for us coming on from our game against Leicester." Saints boss Jim Mallinder has nothing but admiration for Meehan's team but is confident his own players have regrouped after last weekend's single-point defeat at bottom club Bristol and can cause an upset. "Bath have played some excellent rugby this season and are rightly top of the table," he said. "It is understandable if they are approaching tomorrow's game in confident mood. But our squad are looking forward to the game as well. They have been working extremely hard during training this week. The mood has been upbeat and everyone is determined to put last Sunday's disappointment behind them." Also tomorrow, fourth host second at Welford Road when Leicester take on Harlequins in a mouthwatering battle. New Zealand international Scott Hamilton will make his Tigers debut at full-back after Geordan Murphy was selected to face Argentina by Ireland coach Declan Kidney. Despite the crushing disappointment of their last-gasp defeat at Bath last time out, head coach Heyneke Meyer insists his players have needed little encouragement this week. The Tigers were 20-3 down at the break at the Rec before scoring 18 unanswered points in a rousing fightback, although they were finally undone at the last by James. And Meyer claims everyone took heart from that second-half show. "We really want to take our game on and we probably produced our best 80 minutes of rugby so far at Bath last weekend," he said. "The team stayed positive and showed great character, and now we want to build on that performance." On Sunday, third-placed London Irish host Saracens, who could go ahead of them with a win at the Madejski Stadium, while struggling Wasps look for a much-needed confidence boost against Sale at Adams Park. © Scrum.com
|
| Live Scores |
| Results |
| Fixtures |