Match Preview: Bath to Scalp Chiefs in West

The early spring phase of the Premiership continues this weekend with a shoot- out worthy of a classic western.

Bath have had the Indian sign over Exeter Chiefs since the Devonians joined the Premiership and are yet to lose to their West Country rivals in any competition. Yet Exeter gave Bath a real fright at the Rec in a November nailbiter and took new league leaders Northampton Saints to the wire last weekend.

Few take a win against Chiefs for granted these days. Bath coaches, players and supporters all aware of the threat they carry. It used to be said that Chiefs were a team without stars, more the collective power of the tribe than reliance on individual braves. The overwhelming ferocity of the Indians makes them all Chiefs. They do not lack known stars now, with recent representative call ups – Jack Nowell to England and significant contribution to the England U20 World Championship squad – 3 of whom recently made Saxons debuts.

That makes their recent AP record – one win in the past 6 matches a surprising statistic.

Both sides have their frustrations to shake off: Exeter will wish to put last week’s narrow defeat at home to Saints behind them and will be determined to make this the year they bury the Bath bogey. Bath will want to raise their performance from the level of the Newcastle game: better control in possession, more territorial dominance and more clinical in finishing.

Exeter will probably rely on their usual high-intensity game and will want to set the tempo to get the lift of their passionate home support’s drumbeats and chants. They are likely to employ multi-layer attacks, use of dummy runners, thorough cover defence and sharp counter attack – all the apparent confusion but potency of a Sioux buffalo hunt.

Bath are likely to opt for scrummaging, driving mauls and tactical kicking as weapons of choice in the early phases in an attempt to impose a tempo of their own. Expect them to choose their moments, and parts of the pitch to spread the ball wide. Bath supporters will be hoping for as strong a selection as injuries allow. There are rumours that both Davey Wilson and Semesa Rokoduguni could be fit to return this week. Meanwhile nothing has been heard about Carl Fearns, Nick Abendanon or Rob Webber since last Saturday’s Falcons game. It may be too soon for Webber or Fearns, but if the remaining players are available, Bath should have just enough to prolong the jinx on Chiefs.

This western should have the usual tense climax and perhaps the arrival of the cavalry in the form of the bench will prove decisive as it did in the recent LV match at Leicester. Bath should have too much firepower and strength in depth, but only just.

Possible Bath team: James, Batty, Orlandi, Hooper, Attwood, Garvey, Louw, Houston, Stringer, Ford, Banahan, Devoto, Eastmond, Agulla, Watson. Bench: Perenise, Guinazou, Wilson, Day, Fa’osiliva, Young, Henson, Rokoduguni,