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Cameron Redpath finally set to play again nine weeks after Six Nations-ending injury in Scotland's Calcutta Cup win

(Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Fit-again Cameron Redpath is one of six changes to the Bath XV when they host London Irish in this Friday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final, the midfielder finally recovering from the neck injury that ruined his Guinness Six Nations campaign with Scotland after just a single match.    

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The debut-making 21-year centre excelled on his February 6 Test level appearance versus England at Twickenham, easily eclipsing opposite number Ollie Lawrence who had been a teammate of his when they both played for England at U20s level. 

However, Redpath presented the morning after that opening round Six Nations win with a neck injury that ruled him out of the subsequent four Scotland games and it will be this Friday, 62 days after the Twickenham win, that he makes his return to action when he lines out for Bath.   

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Chris Robshaw joins Jamie Roberts on the latest RugbyPass Offload

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Chris Robshaw joins Jamie Roberts on the latest RugbyPass Offload

Other recalls to the Bath XV after last weekend’s win at Zebre are fellow midfielder by Jonathan Joseph, winger Ruaridh McConnochie, skipper Charlie Ewels and back row pair Josh Bayliss and Zach Mercer. Wales international Taulupe Faletau switches to blindside to accommodate Mercer’s selection at No8. 

London Irish defeated Bath in the Gallagher Premiership on March 28, a feisty game that saw two of Stuart Hooper’s players red-carded. Having since beaten Cardiff to qualify for the last-eight in Europe, they now give loosehead Facundo Gigena his first start for the club.

“Playing a team twice in three games provides a unique challenge for both sets of players,” said Irish boss Declan Kidney. “We both know each other well, so it will be interesting to see how the players adapt.”

BATH: 15. Anthony Watson; 14. Joe Cokanasiga, 13. Jonathan Joseph, 12. Cameron Redpath, 11. Ruaridh McConnochie; 10. Orlando Bailey, 9. Ben Spencer; 1. Beno Obano, 2. Jack Walker, 3. Will Stuart, 4. Josh McNally, 5. Charlie Ewels (capt), 6. Taulupe Faletau, 7. Josh Bayliss, 8. Zach Mercer. Reps: 16. Jacques du Toit, 17. Juan Schoeman, 18. Henry Thomas, 19. Mike Williams, 20. Miles Reid, 21. Will Chudley, 22. Max Clark, 23. Alex Gray.

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LONDON IRISH: 15. Tom Parton; 14. Ben Loader, 13. Theo Brophy Clews, 12. Terrence Hepetema, 11. Ollie Hassell-Collins; 10. Paddy Jackson, 9. Nick Phipps; 1. Facundo Gigena, 2. Agustin Creevy, 3. Lovejoy Chawatama, 4. George Nott, 5. Rob Simmons, 6. Matt Rogerson (capt), 7. Blair Cowan, 8. Albert Tuisue. Reps: 16. Matt Cornish, 17. Harry Elrington, 18. Ollie Hoskins, 19. Chunya Munga, 20. Ben Donnell, 21. Sean O’Brien, 22. Ben Meehan, 23. James Stokes.

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J
JG 36 minutes ago
Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Oh my word, for how long are they still going to keep bleating about that try.

The match officials DID explain it at the time, ruling that the ball was knocked out of Bongi’s hand by a NZ player. The ball went straight down (not forward) and Bongi fell on it, thus resulting in the try being awarded.

So it is disingenuous of Robertson to say that it wasn’t checked. If the match officials are confident in their decision, based on what they saw, then they don’t usually go to the TMO - even if requested.

Or else they’ll be going upstairs for virtually every try scored in a match.

Seriously, the Kiwis must now get over themselves. Every time they lose a match by a narrow margin, they find something to go on and on about. It’s almost as if they believe that other teams are “not allowed” to beat them.

Mind you, I think that dates back to a few years earlier when it seemed like the All Blacks were untouchable in the eyes of the match officials at the time.

Maybe Robertson still thinks that is the case nowadays. He hasn’t received the memo about the ABs no longer being unfairly “protected” by match officials.

Let’s face it - there was a time, not too long ago, where players from other teams were almost too afraid to touch or tackle a New Zealand player, for fear of incurring the referee's wrath.

And also, around the same time, NZ captain Richie McCaw was the “golden boy” amongst match officials and even amongst the big brass at the (then) IRB (now World Rugby).

Dont get me wrong, I’m an admirer of McCaw as a player and captain - I think he was great. And I will ALWAYS regard the All Blacks as a great Rugby team.

BUT let’s just be realistic, the New Zealand Rugby fraternity do tend to have this rather large sense of entitlement when it comes to test matches won or lost.

They expect other teams to accept it whenever a dubious decision goes the All Blacks’ way in a game.

BUT they don’t seem willing to do the same.

They'll routinely congratulate their opponents when they lose a match, but will then (for months, or even years afterwards), continue to bleat and “bitch” about a decision or incident that occurred in that match, trying to play the “victim” that was hard-done-by.

Perhaps it’s time for all involved in NZ Rugby to realize and accept that NO team should expect to have the right to always be “protected” or “favoured” in every match they play in.


Come on Scott Robertson, quit sinking to the low levels of some of your predecessors who, annoyingly, believed that the All Blacks have some divine, inalienable right to win every match they play.

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