Bath Will Rue Round 7 In Final Reckoning
We might be just a third of the way through the Premiership season but we’ll look back at this weekend as a pivotal one in May when the race for the top four is reaching its conclusion.
Bath and Leicester were the two sides fighting it out for the all-important fourth place in the Premiership in Round 22 last season and the Tigers edged it as they won away at Worcester and Bath lost at Sale.
The same pair will be in the hunt again this time around and game management gives Tigers the edge on the evidence from this weekend as they controlled proceedings expertly in the North East, while Bath lost a West Country derby on their home turf that they definitely should’ve won.
They got the ball back from Gloucester on the edge of their own 22 with 50 seconds left on the clock and just booted it into touch instead of killing the clock by picking and going. They had an advantage and could’ve even taken the ball backwards for a few phases, so they lost the match due to poor game management.
I guarantee that Saracens would have won that game if they’d turned the ball over with 50 seconds to go and Exeter would have done as well. Winning when you’re not at your best and managing those small moments in games is the difference between the very top teams and those just below them.
Bath seemed to lack a bit of energy at times but there’s no doubt they should’ve won the game once they got ahead. And, with the Premiership being so close this campaign, it could end up being a huge turning point in the season, not just the match.
The margins are so fine nowadays and poor decision-making will prove costly in the final reckoning. Exeter and Saracens are nailed on to make the play-offs but everyone else is beating each other and Bath might look back it this derby in May and think not being able to see the game out was the reason they didn’t make the top four.
We’re a third of the way through the Premiership season now and teams are still jostling for position but the table normally begins to take shape now and that was a big three points dropped.
Leicester, on the other hand, controlled the game perfectly against Newcastle and it was great to see George Ford performing like that against Toby Flood, who was the reason he had to leave Leicester in a way in 2013 because Richard Cockerill preferred the more experienced man and wasn’t giving him enough game time.
Telusa Veainu was ridiculous again, scoring one and setting up another, and fellow Tongan Valentino Mapapalangi is quickly making a real name for himself as well.
The Tigers are the only team in the Premiership yet to notch up a try bonus point this season, which is surprising given the form of Jonny May and co, but they’ll be delighted with how they’re going at this stage of the campaign.
They’ve probably gone under the radar a little bit, given that they lost their first couple of games of the season at home to Bath and away at Northampton, but they’ve won five in a row and are the form team in the league.
They’ve got Sale and Worcester at home after the break for the Anglo-Welsh Cup, which are ideal fixtures for them at a time when they’ll be missing their England internationals, and look like top four material for sure.
Matt O’Connor has bedded in now and are getting back to the efficient Leicester style of play that they’re renowned for but with an extra element as well. They might not have set the world alight yet but the try bonus points will come in time and they look like a team to be reckoned with.
It’s too early to say that they can win the Premiership but they’ve reached the play-offs for 13 straight seasons and surely will do again. After that it’s about one-off games and we’ll see how they manage those big matches later in the season.
It was amazing to see Kingston Park sold out for the first time since Jonny Wilkinson was at the club in 2008, although I was a bit surprised by that fact as I thought it was packed every week when I was playing up there!
The Falcons faithful will be disappointed with the defeat to Leicester but that is a mark of how much the team has grown in the past 18 months.
Newcastle are really growing but it has to be a gradual process and their target this season will definitely be to finish in the top six. They haven’t spoken about the top four but some of us in the media have done because they’ve been doing so well and have got more ability in their squad.
They will see this campaign as another stepping stone where they want to improve on last season’s eighth-place finish and continue building towards being a top four side.
Just three points separate Leicester in third and Gloucester in eighth at the moment, and that’s with Wasps still down in ninth, so it’s going to be incredibly competitive for those top six spots but I think the Falcons have enough to make it if they continue building on what they’ve done so far.
Bath will expect to be fighting with Leicester for third and fourth rather than Newcastle for fifth and sixth and they will be kicking themselves. If they want to reach semi-finals and finals and win those games, it will come down to the finest of margins and they have to learn their lessons from this weekend.
Comments on RugbyPass
Sorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
1 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
2 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
2 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to commentsThe All Blacks will select 5 locks this season. Scott Robertson will most likely want to select 2 veteran locks who can start right away in 2024 and 3 young promising locks who he would like to be pushing hard for selection in the starting XV in two years time- 2026. Scott Barrett is a world class lock. Who would you rather start beside him this season against England, South Africa, Ireland, and France- Sam Whitelock or Patrick Tuipulotu? I would choose Whitelock over Tuipulotu all day, every day.
10 Go to comments