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'We should be relegated' - Bath fans vent after 'apalling, spineless' display

By Ian Cameron
Stuart Hooper /PA

Bath fans have taken to social media to vent after suffering a humiliating defeat in their Gallagher Premiership derby match with local rivals Gloucester.

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Gloucester trounced Bath 64 – 0 in maybe the top flight’s oldest rivalries and it’s a bitter pill for supporters to swallow, even against the context of the risible season that has seen them in last place for the majority of the season.

It’s a result that was even described as disgraceful by BT Sport’s pundit Ugo Monye, while RugbyPass columnist Andy Goode called for a rapid return to relegation to avoid such results in future.

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For many Bath fans – who have been enduring a season from hell which has rarely let up – the result was the hay bale that broke the camel’s back.

Some even feel that Bath need to be relegated so the club can regroup. “My family have been following for over 55 years. This season has been appalling. For a team that have so much talent it is shameful. Won’t stop me supporting the team but it cannot continue like this. There has to be a change next season. We should be relegated. Go down & regroup.”

Another fan observed: “It’s a shame that relegation isn’t happening, as Bath really don’t deserve to be in thr top flight with a performance like that. Feel sorry for the class players they have, must be frustrating when you are an international level player and are surrounded by terrible performances.”

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One fan was irate after claiming to have seen Bath coaches at the golf course the day before the game. “I saw one of the coaches on the golf course yesterday – the day before a big game, on the golf course!!! How is this acceptable? Surely the ethos of work harder should apply less than 24 hours before the game??!!”

Other feel the Lions share of the blame lies with Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper and head coach Neal Hatley. One supporter queried whether a drop to RFU Championship might improve Hooper’s skills in the role. “Maybe Stuart Hooper will realise being an effective DoR takes more than just retiring as a player. If he’s serious about being the best, he needs to challenge himself to learn and grow away from the comfort of Bruce’s chequebook.”

Others felt the time has come for the pair to step down with Johan Van Graan set to join next season. “Hooper and Hatley have presided over the worst season in our history. We got thrashed at the start of the season and todays result shows there has been no improvement at all. For the good of this club they both HAVE to go, and go NOW.”

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Respect PA journalist Andrew Baldock wrote: “That is a pitiful performance by Bath. Feel sorry for their supporters after that. Embarrassing.

“There are a lot of good people at Bath – staff and supporters – who will be shell-shocked at what has happened to a once great club.

“Talking to a couple of Bath mates last night. Both said they can cope with defeats, but it is the no-show manner of them that they cannot accept. Humiliated in a public place. Again.

“And before anyone takes a swipe, I was sports editor of The Bath Chronicle and rugby correspondent in the mid 1990s, so I know exactly what the club means to the people of Bath and how loyal a supporter base they have. Those people are the ones who have been let down. Badly.”

Andy Goode said he felt for the supporters, tweeting that the performance of some of the players was ‘spineless’. “Feel for Bath fans, the team are an embarrassment against their nearest and dearest in Gloucester. Absolutely spineless from some of the players.”

Brendan Gallagher wrote: “Can we now have a long over due period of silence from those who insist the lack of relegation in no way affects the integrity of the Premiership.”

Bath are now back at the foot of the Gallagher Premiership table as a result of the defeat, but a redemption of sorts awaits; Hooper’s side complete their season at Worcester Warriors in a game that looks likely to decide who finishes bottom this season.

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Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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