Bath Vs Sale - Friday Night

[FKAS]

Bath Rugby: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokansiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 Max Ojomoh, 9, Ben Spencer ©, 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Miles Reid

Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Will Butt, 23 Alfie Barbeary

Sale Sharks: 15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Nathan Jibulu, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Ernst van Rhyn ©, 7. Ben Curry, 8. Sam Dugdale.

Replacements: 16. Ethan Caine, 17. Simon McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Tristan Woodman, 21. Dom Hanson, 22. Arron Reed, 23. Marius Louw.

[Puja]

Should be a hell of a game. On paper, you'd say it should be George Ford teaching Ojomoh a lesson at fly-half, but Bath have such a strong team everywhere else. Be interested to see AOF against Obano - he had an easy game last week, but Beno will be a much bigger challenge.

Excellent to see Sela getting a second start in a row - is he officially ahead of Griffin in the pecking order do we think, or is that Griffin still returning from injury? If it's the former, then surely Griffin's going to need to look for a move elsewhere once Stuart and du Toit return.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

I think it's impact.
Obano and Griffin providing the impact before and after the subs are used, Van Wyk and Sela more tasked with holding their own

[Which Tyler]

Weather forecast has changed, and I'm not optimistic about tonight.
Ford vs Ojomoh in a bad-weather FH battle is only going to end one way - especially with Coka on one wing who's a bit dodgy around the high ball in perfect conditions, especially if the FH can get a couple of extra metres distance on those kicks than he's used to, and has to turn as well.
Thankfully it's only George Ford - probably the single best kicker-from-hand in rugby.

If we come through, it'll definitely be an example of the "forwards win matches" mantra

[twitchy]

Horrible conditions.

[FKAS]

Bath dominating Sale up front. The physical power on show is impressive. Ewels off injured and Roux struggling must be a concern for Bath though.

[twitchy]

Sale are playing well but bath are in control of the game.

[Oakboy]

Spencer is in charge. So far, he's a great example of being in the right place doing the right thing at the right time.

[Which Tyler]

Just wish he could play like that in a white shirt

[FKAS]

Sale are playing some alright stuff but their forwards just aren't making yards in contact up front and with the poor weather it's hampering their momentum and just slowing the speed of ball right down. Pepper has also been an absolute menace.

George Ford with a couple of exquisite drop goals really Sale's main threat to the scoreboard.

[FKAS]

Ojomoh with a beauty of a 50/22.

Ford has been the by far the better 10, unsurprisingly, but that was a cracker of a kick.

We know Statistics Bottleneck loves a utility player, Ojomoh certainly showing he can do a job. If he can get a few games in the back three (he's probably quick enough) he'll be guaranteed a spot in the side.

[Which Tyler]

Doesn't feel like a 5 point margin - that's what drop goals do...

[FKAS]

Jeez that's an incredibly harsh penalty on Reed there. Proper 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. Mind you Woodthorpe continues his poor start to season with tonight.

Ojomoh did well to hamper the speedsters progress.

[FKAS]

As the game has gone on Ojomoh has just got better and better. A couple of very nice kicks and then that fantastic finish to win the game.

[FKAS]

Woodthorpe really is making it up as it goes along. That yellow card is a penalty at most and nowhere near as bad as the shoulder to the head a few mins ago that was only a penalty.

WillGriff John really has been a liability.

[Which Tyler]

Doesn't look good for Hill there, in addition to both locks

[Epaminondas Pules]

Was very impressed with Sela. He had a tough time with Rodd when Rodd was allowed to bore in to the extreme and fuck about at the engagement. But that’s down to the Ref and assitants not Sela. When Rodd had to play fair Sela had him a few times! And his loose work was very good!

[Beasties]

Is Ben Bamber the new Launch?

[Beasties]

Was very impressed with Sela. He had a tough time with Rodd when Rodd was allowed to bore in to the extreme and fuck about at the engagement. But that’s down to the Ref and assitants not Sela. When Rodd had to play fair Sela had him a few times! And his loose work was very good!

Ref started making the scrum about him in the second half. Scrum on 55 mins had the TNT scrum brainstrust jizzing over AOF getting the better of Obano when it was actually Rodd getting the better of Sela.
Sela looks a real prospect though, and he did well enough, but you’ve over egged it there a bit imo.
I can see what the fuss is over Jibulu now though.

[Oakboy]

Just wish he could play like that in a white shirt

For once, I thought Healey was right when he said Ford was the in-form 10 but Spencer should partner Marcus. I'd still pick the Saints pair but Healey's point about combos had merit. Spencer/Russell works. Spencer/Farrell didn't. Spencer/Ford wouldn't. Spencer/Marcus might.

[Captainhaircut]

Spencer and Ford worked well in Argentina.

[Danno]

Spencer and Ford worked well in Argentina.

Worked well last night too

[Puja]

Spencer and Ford worked well in Argentina.

Worked well last night too

Ford was ridiculous last night though. The drop goal under pressure, where Bath had rushed up to cut off the attack, so he turned in and slotted it just before the chargedown, was absolutely sublime.

Puja

[Danno]

Spencer and Ford worked well in Argentina.

Worked well last night too

Ford was ridiculous last night though. The drop goal under pressure, where Bath had rushed up to cut off the attack, so he turned in and slotted it just before the chargedown, was absolutely sublime.

Puja

Stupendous player. He's such a good game manager, just drags people out of the mud to do what he needs them to do and if they don't or can't do it, he'll do it himself instead.

I'm a broken record left in a charity shop, barely held together with tape and pva glue on this, but I'm looking forward to his coaching career. I think he's going to be just as immense.