HEC Opponent watch

[[Jackass]]

For me it all comes down to the next match, Bath away. If we can win there, I think we'll have the group wrapped up and home quarter all but secured. Don't see us losing at home to anyone, and the sparring of Pro12 vs the championship fight of Heineken Cup match day are 2 different things. Glasgow might be a banana skin in Pro12, but it's a no-contest in Heineken Cup. We barely broke a sweat to get our BP and then (rightly) just played containment rugby for the rest of the game. No point trying to win by 50, just get the job done and exert as little energy and show as little of your hand as possible.

[cormac]

Anyone else think it would be rather nice for the rest of us to get this much advance notice of what day the round 5/6 fixtures are on?

http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/8013.php

I had a look at what fixtures are on those weekends and I've fully convinced myself we're getting 2 Friday nights based on other teams' shared stadium restrictions - which would be a real pain in the backside in terms of trying to get to the Glasgow match.

Glasgow usually play their home games on a Friday but Partick Thistle (whose ground they use) are away that weekend.

[lineens weegie army]

Anyone else think it would be rather nice for the rest of us to get this much advance notice of what day the round 5/6 fixtures are on?

http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/8013.php

I had a look at what fixtures are on those weekends and I've fully convinced myself we're getting 2 Friday nights based on other teams' shared stadium restrictions - which would be a real pain in the backside in terms of trying to get to the Glasgow match.

Glasgow usually play their home games on a Friday but Partick Thistle (whose ground they use) are away that weekend.

Glasgow game would be on a friday unless Sky say otherwise (and I'm going to assume they will be showing it)

However, Sky have already given us 2 sunday matches this season - so who knows.


Might be wrong on this, but think Thistle could still be at home that weekend. Pretty sure that is the Scottish Cup replay date, so assuming Thistle reach the next round (they are having a second crack at beating non-league Culter this saturday) they could have a game. Not sure who would get first say that weekend though - SFA are pretty strict on Scottish Cup matches taking priority over anything else - but they even over a European game that is live on Sky??

[cormac]

Anyone else think it would be rather nice for the rest of us to get this much advance notice of what day the round 5/6 fixtures are on?

http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/8013.php

I had a look at what fixtures are on those weekends and I've fully convinced myself we're getting 2 Friday nights based on other teams' shared stadium restrictions - which would be a real pain in the backside in terms of trying to get to the Glasgow match.

Glasgow usually play their home games on a Friday but Partick Thistle (whose ground they use) are away that weekend.

Glasgow game would be on a friday unless Sky say otherwise (and I'm going to assume they will be showing it)

However, Sky have already given us 2 sunday matches this season - so who knows.


Might be wrong on this, but think Thistle could still be at home that weekend. Pretty sure that is the Scottish Cup replay date, so assuming Thistle reach the next round (they are having a second crack at beating non-league Culter this saturday) they could have a game. Not sure who would get first say that weekend though - SFA are pretty strict on Scottish Cup matches taking priority over anything else - but they even over a European game that is live on Sky??

http://www.ptfc.co.uk/matches

Their own fixture list has them down as playing away to Hamilton Academical on Friday 13th Jan. They seem to have a free weekend the week before, assume that's when the cup games are scheduled.

[lineens weegie army]

http://www.ptfc.co.uk/matches

Their own fixture list has them down as playing away to Hamilton Academical on Friday 13th Jan. They seem to have a free weekend the week before, assume that's when the cup games are scheduled.

Yep, cup games are the 7th, but replays take precedent over league games (obviously the league can continue without a game being played, the cup can't).

Anyway, academic now since the draw was made while I was typing - and they are at home on the 7th. Only way they could have a home game the same weekend now is if the pitch isn't playable both the week before and midweek, and thankfully we look after the pitch now so that shouldn't be the case.

Now we are just at the mercy of Sky - this is actually the one game I would like to see on a saturday (preferably night, but no way Sky will give that slot to Glasgow! :O ). No doubt it will also be the one occasion Sky let us play on friday >:(

[Mauler]

Now we are just at the mercy of Sky - this is actually the one game I would like to see on a saturday (preferably night, but no way Sky will give that slot to Glasgow! :O ). No doubt it will also be the one occasion Sky let us play on friday >:(

Hope not, as I took a flyer and booked flights with Aer Lingus out Sat AM & back Sun PM.

[simonokeeffe]

Re Blaney for Bath last I read he was looking to move to Dublin or London to combine work experience in finance with playing for a club

For the competition overall, just to be paranoid, as final is in Twickenham a home team for the final always seems to get a home semi final

My guess for quarters: Munster, Cardiff (home), Leinster (home), Leicester & Clermont (at least one away), Saracens, Toulose (home), Quinns (away)
Semis: Leinster, Toulose, Quinns (home), Munster/Saracens

[StrangeButBlue]

Re Blaney for Bath last I read he was looking to move to Dublin or London to combine work experience in finance with playing for a club

For the competition overall, just to be paranoid, as final is in Twickenham a home team for the final always seems to get a home semi final

My guess for quarters: Munster, Cardiff (home), Leinster (home), Leicester & Clermont (at least one away), Saracens, Toulose (home), Quinns (away)
Semis: Leinster, Toulose, Quinns (home), Munster/Saracens

Everyone seems to think Clermont will make the qf when Scarletts and Edinburgh have got away wins and try bp. I think it is likely they will end with 18 - 19 pts with a losing bp in Leicester or bp against ulster home or Airone away to look for - none gauranteed.

[Vamos los azules]

Now we are just at the mercy of Sky - this is actually the one game I would like to see on a saturday (preferably night, but no way Sky will give that slot to Glasgow! :O ). No doubt it will also be the one occasion Sky let us play on friday >:(

Hope not, as I took a flyer and booked flights with Aer Lingus out Sat AM & back Sun PM.

Nearly did that myself but decided to have a look at the various fixtures on the same weekend first and came to the conclusion that the chance of the match being on the Friday was too high to go through with it.

I know already I can't get the Friday off work so I'll be joining you in hope that it's the Saturday or Sunday.

[Ruckedtobits]

Bath Rugby team to face Worcester Warriors

15. Nick Abendanon
14. Olly Woodburn
13. Dan Hipkiss
12. Sam Vesty
11. Tom Biggs
10. Stephen Donald
9. Michael Claassens
1. Charlie Beech
2. Mark Lilley
3. Anthony Perenise
4. Dave Attwood
5. Ryan Caldwell
6. Francois Louw
7. Lewis Moody (c)
8. Simon Taylor

Replacements

16. Will Tanner
17. David Flatman
18. David Wilson
19. Stuart Hooper
20. Guy Mercer
21. Mark McMillan
22. Olly Barkley
23. Jack Cuthbert

Looks like this is the team (minus first-choice props) that Geech will play against us - unless Olly Barclay can displace Sam Vesty. Seems like this is a Club with one first team and fairly little rotation. Front-row weakness. But Louw, Moody, Taylor, Classens & Donald is a very classy middle-five which McGeechan always believes is the key to a good team. Very interesting to see how they go on Saturday.

Front five would appear to be their biggest weakness where they can produce a team to scrum and jump but don't expect mobility or they can pick youngsters who can run but cannot do the grunt work.

[ceemec]

They've a very pedestrian front 5. That's about their 4th choice hooker. Caldwell has actually been fronting up quite well for them but is still good for a couple of penalties. Their props are solid but unspectacular and don't offer much around the field. Barkley will be back in the centre for us I would think. He's only coming back from a lay off. Banahan is to come back into that side too. They're not a bad side at all but their front 5 struggle to give them a platform. Their set piece is really average. If we can disrupt them there and attack them from the get go, we've the beatings of them. Mears is a big loss. He's an industrious little bugger that would help their line out massively.

[[Jackass]]

I think our pack is the most aggressive and disruptive at the breakdown in Europe. (in fairness to Montpellier, they really targetted that breakdown and stunned us a bit). We've big ball carriers and a solid set-piece. All of that will disrupt them majorly.

They've got a very deecent backline, but ours is better imo.

We're a stronger team, we just need the mentality to be right, play with high agression and tempo and I'm not sure they'll be able to match us. A win over there would be massive though.

[jezzer]

I think our pack is the most aggressive and disruptive at the breakdown in Europe. (in fairness to Montpellier, they really targetted that breakdown and stunned us a bit). We've big ball carriers and a solid set-piece. All of that will disrupt them majorly.

They've got a very deecent backline, but ours is better imo.

We're a stronger team, we just need the mentality to be right, play with high agression and tempo and I'm not sure they'll be able to match us. A win over there would be massive though.

For me, it'll all come down to how big a win bonus Moody and the boys are on.

[wixfjord]

Bath playing Worcester away tonight.
10 mins to go and they're 13-0 down.
Crisis at hooker means Lilley is playing there and they've lost something like 5/11 lineouts.
Barkley back for them.
Two big injuries though, Moody got injured and then knocked himself out, and Atwood went off with what looked like a bad one. Hope it looks worse than it is.

[Donny B.]

Lost 16-7. Wouldn't take anything for granted but if we can play at the top of our game, we really should be beating Bath.

[alanair]

Have I missed it, or has there been anything re Leinster Ticket allocation for Away Match V Bath ?

[slum]

Have I missed it, or has there been anything re Leinster Ticket allocation for Away Match V Bath ?

there are still tickets left; you need to the be a season ticket holder though (i think)

[Donny B.]

Have I missed it, or has there been anything re Leinster Ticket allocation for Away Match V Bath ?

there are still tickets left; you need to the be a season ticket holder though (i think)

You don't need to be a season ticket holder if you buy directly from the Bath Website. Worked out cheaper too.

[slum]

I checked the bath website a couple of weeks ago and it had no tickets available

[simonokeeffe]

Re Blaney for Bath last I read he was looking to move to Dublin or London to combine work experience in finance with playing for a club

For the competition overall, just to be paranoid, as final is in Twickenham a home team for the final always seems to get a home semi final

My guess for quarters: Munster, Cardiff (home), Leinster (home), Leicester & Clermont (at least one away), Saracens, Toulose (home), Quinns (away)
Semis: Leinster, Toulose, Quinns (home), Munster/Saracens

Everyone seems to think Clermont will make the qf when Scarletts and Edinburgh have got away wins and try bp. I think it is likely they will end with 18 - 19 pts with a losing bp in Leicester or bp against ulster home or Airone away to look for - none gauranteed.

I can't see Scarlets winning in Limerick, and they could well be turned over at home (very lightweight front 5 even if the rest of the team is top class) by Munster and Castres away still to come for them. Edinburgh will lose home and away to Cardiff and in Paris, Visser can't win every match for them. Clermont will win remaining home games and bonus in Italy which gives them 19 before any other bonuses but could well be them on top of the pool and Leicester hoping for best runners up.

RE Bath away games, what year was it we won with 2 tries in last 2 minutes? Can't find highlights on YouTube. Do remember Barnes being sick as a dog and still insisting on giving MoM to Lee Mears as great H cup debut despite the comeback, plus Leinster's first try was from a Mears overthrow to Jennings on their own line