Catty's Out And Bath Will Struggle

By Glen Leat
September 19 2002

Mike Catt has picked up a training injury and will miss the difficult clash against the Saints at Franklin's Gardens. With Danny Grewcock banned for five weeks this was the last thing Michael Foley needed just as the morale and confidence of his team was picking up after the display against Wasps.

To my untutored eye Northampton look like a team this year who could do things and if Leicester decide to relinquish their grasp on the Championship the Saints could well be the team to grab the silverware. "What about Glawster?" you may say. Listen, if they were twenty points clear with just two games remaining I could not and would not predict they will be Cham...., Champ...., sorry folks I just cannot say Glawster and Cham...ns in the same breath!

Strength in depth will help decide the Championship this year and already Bath are suffering both with short and long term injuries and the ridiculous banning of Danny Grewcock - surely the red card was sufficient! With Kevin Maggs on international duty and Olly Barkley on the cusp of his comeback from a thigh injury the absence of Catty from the starting lineup will hit the Bath back play badly. Given the continued absence of Borthwick our boilerhouse is somewhat lukewarm and it is at times like this that Mark Gabey would have come in to his own. It will be ironic for Bath if Mark Connors plays against us at a time when his services would have been very well received.

I can't see us getting anywhere close to the Saints on Saturday but I really hope the Bath boys let everyone know that they are moving in the right direction.

Click on to the Northampton Saints site for their perspective on things.

Click here to link to a classic match between Bath and Northampton.

In preparation for this clash let's have a look at a few recent statistics:

Biggest Win

Player Greats

Last Meetings (Bath scores first)