Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'He is a hell of a player' - Spencer ready to battle England rival

By PA
Bath v Northampton Saints – Gallagher Premiership – The Recreation Ground

Ben Spencer says that Bath will have to be “right on the money” when they bid for Gallagher Premiership title glory against Northampton.

ADVERTISEMENT

The west country club have never been crowned Premiership champions, losing on their two previous Twickenham appearances in 2004 and 2015.

And Saints now stand between them and silverware, which would be Bath’s first major trophy since they lifted the European Challenge Cup 16 years ago.

The game is littered with intriguing head-to-head battles, but none more so than at scrum-half where Bath skipper Spencer opposes current England number nine and fellow in-form catalyst Alex Mitchell.

“I spent a lot of time with him in the Six Nations. He is a hell of a player,” Spencer said.

“We are going to have to be on the money in terms of our discipline. If we start giving penalties away he is dangerous, especially around the fringes.

“He is someone we have talked about this week going into the game. He is a top-quality player, and hopefully someone we can take care of on Saturday.

“We have to be right on the money. They have got threats across the board.”

While Bath have endured a trophy drought, Spencer arrived at the Recreation Ground after winning the Premiership four times and Champions Cup on three occasions with Saracens.

ADVERTISEMENT

Spencer, though, feels there is sufficient experience among the Bath squad to hold them in good stead for what is a sold-out final.

“We are in a place now where there is a lot of experience in the group,” he added.

“A few years ago it was probably quite a young and inexperienced group, but we draw on the fact we played Harlequins at Twickenham last year and we learned how to play there.

“It was not in a final, but we said to ourselves that day ‘let’s make sure we do everything we can to be back here next year and play in the final’.

ADVERTISEMENT

“If guys have questions around finals rugby, the group is in a great spot and experienced enough to handle the occasion.

“Since I have got here, the club has been through some tough times.

“If we manage to get over the line on Saturday, it will be up there with the best.

“There are no second chances, there is no next week. The small decisions become even bigger, those little moments in games.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Singapore SVNS | Day 1

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

f
fl 1 hour ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”

Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.


“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”

I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.


“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”

I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.


“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”

I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!

176 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Munster-ROG reunion a ‘love story’ but no return likely for La Rochelle boss Munster-ROG reunion a ‘love story’ but no return likely for La Rochelle boss
Search