Bath v Gloucester, Sunday. 3.00pm

[Which Tyler]

Bear in mind the railway is down for maintenance, and the motorway is closed for a bridge to be removed...

Ref: Sara Cox
TJs: Joe James and Jonathan Healy
TMO: Dean Richards

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Josh Bayliss
7 Guy Pepper
8 Alfie Barbeary

09 Ben Spencer (c)
10 Finn Russell
11 Will Muir
12 Cameron Redpath
13 Max Ojomoh
14 Ruaridh McConnochie
15 Tom de Glanville

16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Sam Underhill, 23 Jaco Coetzee
21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Will Butt


Glos:
1 Ciaran Knight
2 Seb Blake
3 Afo Fasogbon
4 Freddie Clarke
5 Freddie Thomas
6 Jack Clement
7 Lewis Ludlow (c)
8 Ruan Ackermann

09 Tomos Williams
10 Santi Carreras
11 Max Llewellyn
12 Seb Atkinson
13 Chris Harris
14 Christian Wade
15 George Barton

16 Jack Singleton, 17 Val Rapava-Ruskin, 18 Kirill Gotovtsev, 19 Cam Jordan, 20 Harry Taylor
21 Caolan Englefield, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Josh Hathaway

[Which Tyler]

I'm slightly uncomfortable with so many rusty players being thrown in together - especially an entire unit, and I would have liked a reward for some of the core squad from the PRC campaign.

I'd have only started one of Ewels & Roux, alongside Richards. I'd have rewarded one of Staddon/Green on the bench this week, with the other next. I'd have started Donoghue at FB, with Butt at IC alongside one of Ojomoh/Redpath, and one of Ojomoh/Redpath/DeGlanville benching.
Carr-Smith should be ahead of Schreuder on merit anyway, but especially after his PRC campaign.

I appreciate that Gloucester will be even more rusty, but also more rested.

[Beasties]

Ted Hill clearly needing a rest.

Fasogbon back already? Seems quick.

[fivepointer]

Great to see Fasogbon back.

Atkinson and Ojomoh in the centres will be of interest.

Carr-Smith is badly done to. Thought he looked very good in the PRC.

[Banquo]

I'm slightly uncomfortable with so many rusty players being thrown in together - especially an entire unit, and I would have liked a reward for some of the core squad from the PRC campaign.

I'd have only started one of Ewels & Roux, alongside Richards. I'd have rewarded one of Staddon/Green on the bench this week, with the other next. I'd have started Donoghue at FB, with Butt at IC alongside one of Ojomoh/Redpath, and one of Ojomoh/Redpath/DeGlanville benching.
Carr-Smith should be ahead of Schreuder on merit anyway, but especially after his PRC campaign.

I appreciate that Gloucester will be even more rusty, but also more rested.

Not sure what Ewan Richards has to do, other than move.

[FKAS]

I'm slightly uncomfortable with so many rusty players being thrown in together - especially an entire unit, and I would have liked a reward for some of the core squad from the PRC campaign.

I'd have only started one of Ewels & Roux, alongside Richards. I'd have rewarded one of Staddon/Green on the bench this week, with the other next. I'd have started Donoghue at FB, with Butt at IC alongside one of Ojomoh/Redpath, and one of Ojomoh/Redpath/DeGlanville benching.
Carr-Smith should be ahead of Schreuder on merit anyway, but especially after his PRC campaign.

I appreciate that Gloucester will be even more rusty, but also more rested.

Not sure what Ewan Richards has to do, other than move.

Recently signed a contract until 2027. Not a good move unless his agent wasn't reporting any significant interest. Given his name there must be some Scottish links and Edinburgh could do with adding quality to their pack. Richards is a good player that could do with game time.

[Puja]

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Josh Bayliss
7 Guy Pepper
8 Alfie Barbeary

09 Ben Spencer (c)
10 Finn Russell
11 Will Muir
12 Cameron Redpath
13 Max Ojomoh
14 Ruaridh McConnochie
15 Tom de Glanville

16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Sam Underhill, 23 Jaco Coetzee
21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Will Butt

Wild - Ojomoh picked ahead of Butt for the very first time!

Good to see Pepper and Fasogbon back fully fit. Expecting both of them to tour in the summer.

Puja

[Banquo]

I'm slightly uncomfortable with so many rusty players being thrown in together - especially an entire unit, and I would have liked a reward for some of the core squad from the PRC campaign.

I'd have only started one of Ewels & Roux, alongside Richards. I'd have rewarded one of Staddon/Green on the bench this week, with the other next. I'd have started Donoghue at FB, with Butt at IC alongside one of Ojomoh/Redpath, and one of Ojomoh/Redpath/DeGlanville benching.
Carr-Smith should be ahead of Schreuder on merit anyway, but especially after his PRC campaign.

I appreciate that Gloucester will be even more rusty, but also more rested.

Not sure what Ewan Richards has to do, other than move.

Recently signed a contract until 2027. Not a good move unless his agent wasn't reporting any significant interest. Given his name there must be some Scottish links and Edinburgh could do with adding quality to their pack. Richards is a good player that could do with game time.

Indeed

[Mikey Brown]

And that’s Hill covering lock now?

[FKAS]

And that’s Hill covering lock now?

Switchfrom Backrow has got van Graan to start training him up at club level or maybe planted a seed in the Saffa's mind.

[Which Tyler]

Erm... not the first time he's played lock for Bath - hell, IIRC he started at lock against Gloucester earlier in the season

[FKAS]

Erm... not the first time he's played lock for Bath - hell, IIRC he started at lock against Gloucester earlier in the season

Yeah I know, doesn't run as well with the joke about Borthwick playing Rassie style games though.

Against Glaws and their high tempo game being able to replace the entire backrow is probably not a bad idea.

[jngf]

Bear in mind the railway is down for maintenance, and the motorway is closed for a bridge to be removed...

Ref: Sara Cox
TJs: Joe James and Jonathan Healy
TMO: Dean Richards

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Josh Bayliss
7 Guy Pepper
8 Alfie Barbeary

09 Ben Spencer (c)
10 Finn Russell
11 Will Muir
12 Cameron Redpath
13 Max Ojomoh
14 Ruaridh McConnochie
15 Tom de Glanville

16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Sam Underhill, 23 Jaco Coetzee
21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Will Butt


Glos:
1 Ciaran Knight
2 Seb Blake
3 Afo Fasogbon
4 Freddie Clarke
5 Freddie Thomas
6 Jack Clement
7 Lewis Ludlow (c)
8 Ruan Ackermann

09 Tomos Williams
10 Santi Carreras
11 Max Llewellyn
12 Seb Atkinson
13 Chris Harris
14 Christian Wade
15 George Barton

16 Jack Singleton, 17 Val Rapava-Ruskin, 18 Kirill Gotovtsev, 19 Cam Jordan, 20 Harry Taylor
21 Caolan Englefield, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Josh Hathaway

Glad to see Sam Underhill back in business!

[Which Tyler]

Come on boys! Give 'em hell

[Which Tyler]

Santi laying down a marker for next year's starting shirt

[Which Tyler]

Wow, how'd we get the ball out of that maul?

[Which Tyler]

Sometimes I dislike "advantage over" as an automatic response for kicking the ball.
Anything else, and it's a bath scrum, where were on top.

ETA, Muir is going to be dining out on that for the rest of his career, and may mention it once or twice when Santi arrives in July

[Captainhaircut]

Atkinson and Fasogbon having a tough day so far.

If Muir can stay fit, he could really be the answer for England left wing in the summer.

[Mikey Brown]

Really? Isn’t he nearing 30 and we’ve already got like 6 wingers with more international experience?

I know you have this idea that the 11 shirt is cursed but why would Muir be above that?

[fivepointer]

Bath just too strong. Glos had their moments and did well to take a try BP. Thought Clement had a good game. Fasogbon struggled initially but settled down and did pretty well in his comeback game.
Ojomoh definitely the pick of the wannabe England centres.
Pepper was excellent. He's some athlete.

[Oakboy]

Bath just too strong. Glos had their moments and did well to take a try BP. Thought Clement had a good game. Fasogbon struggled initially but settled down and did pretty well in his comeback game.
Ojomoh definitely the pick of the wannabe England centres.
Pepper was excellent. He's some athlete.

Not sure on Ojomoh. Definitely agree on Pepper.

[Captainhaircut]

Really? Isn’t he nearing 30 and we’ve already got like 6 wingers with more international experience?

I know you have this idea that the 11 shirt is cursed but why would Muir be above that?

It is cursed based on Sleightholme and Murley being injured this series! But yes, definitely think we under use left wing versus right.

Anyway, on Muir, I just think his aerial game is really suited to the new rules and he could be a real weapon. On top of that he has a nicely rounded game and very strong work rate that feels to me like might translate to internationals a bit better than Murley or OHC before that.

He’s 30 later this year but think he’d be fine to make the next World Cup which has got to be the aim?

[FKAS]

Really? Isn’t he nearing 30 and we’ve already got like 6 wingers with more international experience?

I know you have this idea that the 11 shirt is cursed but why would Muir be above that?

It is cursed based on Sleightholme and Murley being injured this series! But yes, definitely think we under use left wing versus right.

Anyway, on Muir, I just think his aerial game is really suited to the new rules and he could be a real weapon. On top of that he has a nicely rounded game and very strong work rate that feels to me like might translate to internationals a bit better than Murley or OHC before that.

He’s 30 later this year but think he’d be fine to make the next World Cup which has got to be the aim?

OHC's work rate and aerial work are exceptional this season. Been a marked improvement from him. Watch the game from Friday night where he's beating Hendy in the air and with Radwan were chasing down the Saints back three making their lives miserable and giving Tigers territory to win the game.

I like Muir but he's a bit Harry Potter or Tom O'Flaherty esque. Really good clubman who'll you'll select every week for the Prem. At international level I don't think he has the top end pace or power.

[Mikey Brown]

I know we can’t dismiss the aerial game, but there has to be some balance and we still need to offer the outright pace and counterattack threat somewhere. He reminds me a bit of Stockdale. Maybe he’s got a more rounded game than I give him credit for, but I can only visualise him running in a straight line.

I’d be happy to look at him if Freeman, Roebuck, Daly were unavailable. Sounds like OHC has come on massively with his kick chase/aerial game too though.

I just want that fear factor somewhere that a Kolbe/LBB/VDM offers on turnover. I think IFW has a bit of that.

[Captainhaircut]

Really? Isn’t he nearing 30 and we’ve already got like 6 wingers with more international experience?

I know you have this idea that the 11 shirt is cursed but why would Muir be above that?

It is cursed based on Sleightholme and Murley being injured this series! But yes, definitely think we under use left wing versus right.

Anyway, on Muir, I just think his aerial game is really suited to the new rules and he could be a real weapon. On top of that he has a nicely rounded game and very strong work rate that feels to me like might translate to internationals a bit better than Murley or OHC before that.

He’s 30 later this year but think he’d be fine to make the next World Cup which has got to be the aim?

OHC's work rate and aerial work are exceptional this season. Been a marked improvement from him. Watch the game from Friday night where he's beating Hendy in the air and with Radwan were chasing down the Saints back three making their lives miserable and giving Tigers territory to win the game.

I like Muir but he's a bit Harry Potter or Tom O'Flaherty esque. Really good clubman who'll you'll select every week for the Prem. At international level I don't think he has the top end pace or power.

Agreed on OHC now. Was referring more to where his game was at when we first capped him. Think Muir would hit the ground running more.

Think everyone is being a bit harsh on Muir tbh. Always seems incredibly hard to tackle, got a workrate probably unmatched in other wings and is exceptional in the air.

Other left wing options are Murley, OHC, Sleightholme and Ibitoye and don’t think there’s that much between them all- different players that they are.