Champions Cup - Pool 4, Round 3 (Bath, Glasgow, Montpellier, Toulouse)

[Big Ewis]

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[ratsapprentice]

Will be interesting to see how Bath go about this game. Barring some miraculous reverse of trend I expect we're out.
I think Hatley has said Burgess will be getting more gametime that he had last week... so we could be seeing close to an entire half of rugby for him, depending on how well the game goes.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Will be interesting to see how Bath go about this game. Barring some miraculous reverse of trend I expect we're out.
I think Hatley has said Burgess will be getting more gametime that he had last week... so we could be seeing close to an entire half of rugby for him, depending on how well the game goes.

It's nice that Bath are at least so good to watch this year, it at least makes these dead rubber matches worth watching. A bit more Burgess game time could add a little spice too. He could play his way into England contention on Friday night.

EDIT @ratsapprentice, where do you get your up to the minute Bath info? I follow them on Facebook but never seem to get anything useful out of them ... team announcement is due tomorrow I assume?

 

[ratsapprentice]

I search twitter and COML.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Be interesting to see how Bath work Burgess into their 23 when everyone is fit - the sooner he switches to backrow the better, really, as they've too many top backs for the amount of positions they can offer them.

 

[Big Ewis]

@gaston le gaff would like to hear what you have to say about this matchup or at least Montypellier's form. Haven't watched them in weeks and only saw a couple of games since FTD went down and it wasn't glorious, his injury seemed to have deflated them completely.

 

[gaston le gaff]

It's not just the injury to FTD since we parted company with Mario, things have not been great, there is unrest between fractions in the club, when things go wrong its always the same, the defeats seem to come more often and until we get back to winning ways the transistion will be difficult. The match this weekend and next Fri has little importants but for the bragging rights for the victor same next Fri at Bath as both teams have virtually no chance of qualifying bar miracles. We obviously are missing FTD and although Ben Lucas is a good player he has had no time to adapt to the TOP 14 which is nothing like Super 15 which he is used to, he has played exactly one match and 20 mins which is not eneough. Things will get better but it will need an effort from everybody!!!!!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Bath Rugby team to face Montpellier
15 Anthony Watson
14 Horacio Agulla
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Matt Banahan
10 George Ford
9 Chris Cook
1 Nick Auterac
2 Ross Batty
3 Henry Thomas
4 Stuart Hooper (c)
5 Dominic Day
6 David Sisi
7 Carl Fearns
8 Leroy Houston
Replacements
16 Rob Webber
17 Paul James
18 David Wilson
19 Dave Attwood
20 Alafoti Fa'osiliva
21 Peter Stringer
22 Ollie Devoto
23 Sam Burgess

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Bath Rugby team to face Montpellier
15 Anthony Watson
14 Horacio Agulla
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Matt Banahan
10 George Ford
9 Chris Cook
1 Nick Auterac
2 Ross Batty
3 Henry Thomas
4 Stuart Hooper (c)
5 Dominic Day
6 David Sisi
7 Carl Fearns
8 Leroy Houston
Replacements
16 Rob Webber
17 Paul James
18 David Wilson
19 Dave Attwood
20 Alafoti Fa'osiliva
21 Peter Stringer
22 Ollie Devoto
23 Sam Burgess

That Bath forwards bench gets me more excited than the run-on pack. So is Sam Burgess now being played at centre? I'd have thought it is an area of strength already for Bath? How has he gone- I havn't seen any Bath matches of late.

 

[stus768]

That Bath forwards bench gets me more excited than the run-on pack. So is Sam Burgess now being played at centre? I'd have thought it is an area of strength already for Bath? How has he gone- I havn't seen any Bath matches of late.

They've stated that they're going to start by playing him at centre then love him to backrow. Whether they're just saying that to placate all the other centres I don't know.

He played 17 mins last week and touched the ball 3 times. Looked ok. I was more interested to see Eastmond at 10!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

They've stated that they're going to start by playing him at centre then love him to backrow. Whether they're just saying that to placate all the other centres I don't know.

He played 17 mins last week and touched the ball 3 times. Looked ok. I was more interested to see Eastmond at 10!

That is interesting! I think I'll have to somehow make time for this match.

PS; I love that Freudian slip;

playing him at centre then love him to backrow

 

[Big Ewis]

Bath Rugby team to face Montpellier
15 Anthony Watson
14 Horacio Agulla
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Matt Banahan
10 George Ford
9 Chris Cook
1 Nick Auterac
2 Ross Batty
3 Henry Thomas
4 Stuart Hooper (c)
5 Dominic Day
6 David Sisi
7 Carl Fearns
8 Leroy Houston
Replacements
16 Rob Webber
17 Paul James
18 David Wilson
19 Dave Attwood
20 Alafoti Fa'osiliva
21 Peter Stringer
22 Ollie Devoto
23 Sam Burgess

wow. Seriously ?! mmm...Montypellier pre-chaos yes, but right now ?...poor Montypellier, it's just amazing what a ***** fate can be sometimes. It's like some teams just *aren't meant* to be successful at European level (or at wtvr else). Just when they look good enough and ready, something happens. Main player goes down, inner-club turmoil, big let-off from important staff member...somebody's dog dies, someone realizes he's got ADD, someone leaves Rugby to perpetuate life-long dreams of being a pole dancer, someone's calling of being a Chartreux monk...just fkng ridiculous.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bath Rugby team to face Montpellier
15 Anthony Watson
14 Horacio Agulla
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Matt Banahan
10 George Ford
9 Chris Cook
1 Nick Auterac
2 Ross Batty
3 Henry Thomas
4 Stuart Hooper (c)
5 Dominic Day
6 David Sisi
7 Carl Fearns
8 Leroy Houston
Replacements
16 Rob Webber
17 Paul James
18 David Wilson
19 Dave Attwood
20 Alafoti Fa'osiliva
21 Peter Stringer
22 Ollie Devoto
23 Sam Burgess

Is Roko injured?
I'd have had him n Woodburn on the wings over Agulla and the Tugboat.

As above: That replacement pack is insane.

 

[Every Time Ref]

That's pretty close to a full-strength backline apart from Rokoduguni, I wouldn't pick Banahan myself but it seems Ford thinks of him as part of his first XV. A few omissions from the pack, not surprised that Wilson's getting a rest and pleased to see the second string front row who demolished Harlequins getting a chance to show what they can do in Europe, I like the look of Auterac in particular. Our back row problems are slowly starting to sort themselves out, with the added bonus that we unearthed Charlie Ewels as an option, can't wait for Louw to be back ... one small back row issue for me, I thought Houston looked a bit off the pace against Quins, feel he needs a big game here.

wow. Seriously ?! mmm...Montypellier pre-chaos yes, but right now ?...poor Montypellier, it's just amazing what a ***** fate can be sometimes. It's like some teams just *aren't meant* to be successful at European level (or at wtvr else). Just when they look good enough and ready, something happens. Main player goes down, inner-club turmoil, big let-off from important staff member...somebody's dog dies, someone realizes he's got ADD, someone leaves Rugby to perpetuate life-long dreams of being a pole dancer, someone's calling of being a Chartreux monk...just fkng ridiculous.

What's up with Montpellier then? Specifically, I want to know about the chaos bit, not so much the pole dancers and Chartreux monks ... although thinking about it, maybe that's the more interesting story ...

 

[ratsapprentice]

That Bath forwards bench gets me more excited than the run-on pack. So is Sam Burgess now being played at centre? I'd have thought it is an area of strength already for Bath? How has he gone- I havn't seen any Bath matches of late.

The centres are certainly an area of strength. Sam is going to be coming off the bench at 12 for a few games until he gets to grips with the breakdown then they're going to try him at 6.
I think Ford has said they're waiting for the weather to dry up slightly before putting him in the back row.

This is all he's done:

I think they're looking at giving him closer to 40 mins this game.

Roko is injured I think - he didn't look too sharp last Friday.

I'm happy with Banahan starting tbh, he looks like he might be getting back to some decent form.

Our away form has been better this year, but it's still a bit shakey, so I could see anything from us battering them to us getting battered ourselves.

 

[Tony Manx]

It's not just the injury to FTD since we parted company with Mario, things have not been great, there is unrest between fractions in the club, when things go wrong its always the same, the defeats seem to come more often and until we get back to winning ways the transistion will be difficult.

Gosh.....how things change!!!

Should support a settled club like............... er Biarritz!!!!

Looking forward to passing you as we go up and you go down.................................HaHa, as if!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

The only difference Tony my friend is we are having problems of tranition from 8th to minimum of 6th in the TOP 14!!!!!!! WHEREAS YOUR JOURNEY IS MUCH LONGER AND MUCH MORE DELICATE, and will probably fail this season, so if i am to visit the Basque counrty it will only be Bayonne SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Every Time Ref]

I'm happy with Banahan starting tbh, he looks like he might be getting back to some decent form.

I don't know, he just looks too slow to be a winger, he was never the quickest in the world but made up for it in other ways. He now looks to me too slow for his other contributions to make up for even at his best, and I think that's just age.

My favourite thing about Burgess's debut is that his first taste of union involved fewer opposition players and less competitive scrums than he was used to!

 

[Big Ewis]

@Every Time Ref I refer you to this post:

http://www.therugbyforum.com/thread...lier-Toulouse)?p=695407&viewfull=1#post695407

Mario Ledesma was sacked some time ago, he was the forwards/scrum coach. There was a big media polemic around that, and it obviously underlined internal issues at the club. Montypellier started the season with a huge win in Clermont (as we all know something that doesn't come easy) with Trinh-Duc kicking in a decisive difficult penalty for the win, and good form generally for the year. Then the Trinh-Duc long-term injury (4 months, he's only this week started some physio again), Ledesma, and then consecutive defeats including at home...all hell seemed to have broken loose there.

 

[gaston le gaff]

The starting XV and bench for the match Friday evening v Bath, Battut back after injury Attoub on the bench first bench since his injury in Aug could be light in the front row, Bath's pack looked excellent against Quins last week. Pelissie come out of the Frigo as no. 10 bench replacement. the rest looks good see how the young Enzo Selponi gets on against Ford, could be an excellent game as there is not much at stake only honour for both teams, as they are highly unlikely to qualify for the 1/4's

Le XV de départ: Fall ; Artru, Ranger, Olivier, Dupont ; (o) Selponi, (m) Paillaugue ; Galletier, Tulou, Battut ; Privat (cap), Tchale-Watchou ; Cilliers, Bianchin, Watremez.

Les remplaçants: Geli, Leleimalefaga, Attoub, Donnelly, Ouedraogo, Iribaren, Pelissié, Sicart.