Bath v Dragons

[An Tarbh]

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Bath v Dragons
Date: Sunday 19 October 2008
Venue: The Rec
Kickoff - 13:00, Live Sky Sports Interactive</div>

So getting the bonus point was not the worst result for Bath although given the context of the loss itself it won't have been too easy to take. Key for Bath now is to not slip up and try and get as much as they can out of these 4 games to put themselves in a position where a win at home on the final day against Toulouse will see them top the pool.

The Dragons look to have turned their season around and last weekend was the continuation of that but it wouldn't be too surprising to see them take a step backwards this weekend when up against the class of Bath.

 

[dullonien]

I can't see much hope of a Dragons win here. But I think a losing bonus point is well within a firing Dragons team. Charvis has been nothing short of immense in the last two games (getting the man of a match with a 30min cameo proving this), his move to coaching seems to have given him huge desire. Saying that, I wouldn't be atall surprised if Bath win by 20+, Dragons just don't have a squad to cut it at this level imo.

 

[cyRil]

The term 'dicking' comes to mind when regarding this game.
With JT injured for the autumn internationals, I really hope Charvis gets a call up to the Welsh squad. He bloody deserves it.

 

[RC]

Bath are a very dangerous team, now, the dragons have a huge heart and as a team they are brilliant - they epitmoise what it is to play for each other, as far as i'm concerned.
There's no money in the region, they're always fighting hard because they are always written off as under dogs and its great whenever they pull off the wins - and it's not like the wins come along once in every blue moon. They like beating good teams.
But, the pessimist gets the better of me for this game.

 

[Sir Speedy]

If Bath fire on all cylinders then they'll win by 50+.

 

[An Tarbh]

Team news sees both sides unchanged.

Bath: 15. Nick Abendanon, 14. Joe Maddock, 13. Alex Crockett, 12. Shaun Berne, 11. Matt Banahan, 10. Butch James, 9. Michael Claassens, 1. David Flatman, 2. Lee Mears, 3. Matt Stevens, 4. Justin Harrison, 5. Peter Short, 6. Stuart Hooper, 7. Michael Lipman©, 8. Jonny Faamatuainu,
Replacements: 16. Pieter Dixon, 17. Duncan Bell, 18. David Barnes, 19. James Scaysbrook, 20. Scott Bemand, 21. Shontayne Hape, 22. Andy Higgins,

Dragons: 15. Phil Dollman, 14. Gareth Wyatt, 13. Rory Sidey, 12. Marc Stcherbina, 11. Richard Fussell, 10. James Arlidge, 9. Wayne Evans, 1. Adam Black, 2. Tom Willis©, 3. Rhys Thomas, 4. Adam Jones, 5. Luke Charteris, 6. Joe Bearman, 7. Colin Charvis, 8. Lewis Evans,
Replacements: 16. Steve Jones, 17. Aaron Coundley, 18. Grant Webb, 19. Andrew Hall, 20. Rob Lewis, 21. Shaun Connor, 22. Ashley Smith,

 

[getofmeland]

Bloody Dirty Dragons, 2 high tackles in a matter of minutes by them, resulting in a penalty but no sin bin...

3 - 0 to Bath

 

[getofmeland]

f***ing Sky, I can't the game now because f***ing sky

Just missed 5 mins of the game cos sky messed up...

 

[dullonien]

Still no yellow card? The ref just warned the Dragons a few min ago, then they kill the ball! Refs have got to penalise teams playing so negatively, sounds like some bad reffing.

Sounds ominous from the Dragons point of view, they've hardly seen the ball so far!

Edit: Yellow card comes, Charvis off.

 

[getofmeland]

Charvis has been sin binned now...

 

[An Tarbh]

Have Bath taken advantage of Charvis being in the bin?

 

[getofmeland]

Nope... The score is still 6 - 0 to Bath... The Dragons have been superb in defence and withstood Bath's pressure... however still little incidents the ref hasn't picked up on...

 

[dullonien]

Well, Dragons still in this one! They were camped on the Bath tryline just now, just knocked the ball foreward whilst trying to drive over. It's anyones game now, Dragons sound like the better team at the moment too!

Bath 6-3 Dragons

 

[getofmeland]

Finally Bath Drive over to get the first try of the game, through Higgins...

13 - 3 to Bath

 

[dullonien]

Well a good result there for the Dragons, gaining a loosing bonus point for what sounded like a huge defensive effort.

Bath deserved to win that game, so in the end the result was fair for both teams.

Final score Bath 13-9 Dragons

 

[Prestwick]

All Bath have to do is beat Dragons away and use their charm to overcome Glasgow home and away and they'll book a place in the knockouts.

Obviously giving Tolouse a kicking at the REC won't go amiss either...

 

[getofmeland]

Well I think Bath caught the dragons on a good day and the dragons caught bath on one of their frustrating days, where they just didn't seem to get the luck... but Bath showed character and didn't stop playing their game, but my hat is doffed to the Dragons for their fantastic defence...

 

[Sir Speedy]

Bath have screwed up here. They had a chance to go two points clear of Toulouse in terms of BP's; mind you, they're still one ahead. The final game in the REC is one of many mouth-watering final encounters and I think it'll decide the group, ultimately. So all this nonsense talk (SHUT UP, SPEEDY!) about bonus points is nonsense talk. ^.^

 

[RC]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (getofmeland @ Oct 19 2008, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well I think Bath caught the dragons on a good day...[/b]

A good day?
I'd argue that. Although they put up a good defence they often do that but they played negatively today. The dragons are quite a disciplined side with a very good defence and believe it or not but they can run the ball well at times.

 

[dullonien]

Yeh I was thinking the ame thing RC. Apart from their defence, they played poorly! After all, they've won their last four games on the trot. Personally I haven't been too impressed with Alridge, I think the young Tovey has waay more skill, he's a great player that they should make more use of.

I understand they were up against a good team in Bath, but Bath played poorly, there was a chance for the Dragons to get a surprise win here, but ended up paying for playing so negitively.

Edit. Still think Bath deserved the win.